Drain Cleaning Tips and Tricks!

Image

There may be a lot of drains in your home — sinks, toilets, showers, etc. — but they all run to one place: the main sewer line that runs out of your house.

You’ll know it if it needs cleaning; slow flushing drains, smells and even strange noises are symptoms that your sewer line or one of the lateral lines leading to the main has some sort of blockage. You can always call on our friendly Santa Maria plumbers to fix a big problem, but there are also a number of DIY drain cleaning tips you can employ to get your household pipes running smoothly again.

Keep it Clean

You may think of enzyme cleaners as something you use for pet stains on your carpet, but they are great for regular upkeep of your drain lines. Any plumbing supply outlet and most hardware stores will have high-grade cleaners for this purpose, and they’re much safer than chemical drain cleaners.

They work via a biological reaction, so time – and some patience – is required.

Snake it

This is one snake that won’t bite… Get it? Ok, ok, cheesy jokes aside, a plumbing snake should be something everyone has on hand for minor clogs. Snakes are augers that are fed into a drain line and then cut through all the junk forming a clog.

But be careful not to damage your lines when you’re using one of these. If your clog isn’t coming loose with a snake, that’s a good indication that it is time to call a plumber.

Baking Soda and Vinegar

This household remedy is the anti-chemical de-clogger. Safe and easy on your pipes, mixing baking soda and vinegar forms a common cleaning solution that can be used for many things – unclogging a pipe being one of them. The bubbles it forms will scrape away grease that could be causing a clog.

Flushing your drains with this mixture is also a great regular maintenance habit to get into as cleaning light build-ups of grease is easier than a big clog.

Drain Cleaners – If You Must

Abrasive chemical de-cloggers can be useful, but they can damage your pipes so you shouldn’t employ this strategy very often. However, a couple of times a year, you can flush drain cleaners down your lines. Just make sure you’re not using too much water or flushing any other drains.

The chemical needs time to sit in the pipes to dissolve any debris and waste that might be building up.

Turn to the Pros

Of course, not all drain clogs are created equally, and sometimes it’s necessary to call in the professional Santa Maria plumbers at Griffin. It’s also a good idea to have the plumbing pros inspect your drain lines to diagnose bigger problems before they turn into a disgusting mess, saving you time and money.

As always, we’re a call or click away.

More Posts from Your Santa Maria Plumbers


Featured image for “Unmasking Plumbing Myths: Griffin’s Santa Maria Plumbers Bust the Top 10 Misconceptions”

Unmasking Plumbing Myths: Griffin’s Santa Maria Plumbers Bust the Top 10 Misconceptions

Featured image for “How to Update Your Bathroom for the Holidays”

How to Update Your Bathroom for the Holidays

Featured image for “Griffin Plumbing Celebrates 20 Years of Exceptional Service to the Central Coast”

Griffin Plumbing Celebrates 20 Years of Exceptional Service to the Central Coast

Featured image for “The Top Five Plumbing Issues Santa Maria Homeowners Face and How to Resolve Them”

The Top Five Plumbing Issues Santa Maria Homeowners Face and How to Resolve Them

Featured image for “3 Kitchen Sink Tips for Your Home”

3 Kitchen Sink Tips for Your Home

Featured image for “5 Tips to Prevent Toilet Trouble From Your Santa Maria Plumbers”

5 Tips to Prevent Toilet Trouble From Your Santa Maria Plumbers

Featured image for “2023 New Years Plumbing Resolutions”

2023 New Years Plumbing Resolutions

Featured image for “Halloween Plumbing Tips”

Halloween Plumbing Tips

Featured image for “Plumbing Tips to Prepare for Fall”

Plumbing Tips to Prepare for Fall

Featured image for “Preparing Your Plumbing for Vacation”

Preparing Your Plumbing for Vacation

Featured image for “Water-Saving Tips for Summer”

Water-Saving Tips for Summer

Featured image for “How to Brighten Your Kitchen For Spring”

How to Brighten Your Kitchen For Spring

Featured image for “Spring 2022 Plumbing Tips”

Spring 2022 Plumbing Tips

Featured image for “Plumbing Myths to Stop Believing”

Plumbing Myths to Stop Believing

Featured image for “2022 New Year’s Plumbing Resolutions”

2022 New Year’s Plumbing Resolutions

Featured image for “Water Heater Maintenance Tips for Fall”

Water Heater Maintenance Tips for Fall

Featured image for “Water Filtration for Your Santa Maria Home”

Water Filtration for Your Santa Maria Home

Featured image for “Family Friendly Plumbing Tips”

Family Friendly Plumbing Tips

Featured image for “Your Plumbers in Santa Maria: Why Choose Griffin?”

Your Plumbers in Santa Maria: Why Choose Griffin?

Featured image for “4 Dishwasher Maintenance Tips”

4 Dishwasher Maintenance Tips

Featured image for “3 Plumbing Situations That Require an Emergency Call”

3 Plumbing Situations That Require an Emergency Call

Featured image for “Spring Cleaning Plumbing Tips”

Spring Cleaning Plumbing Tips

Featured image for “2020 Plumbing Resolutions”

2020 Plumbing Resolutions

Featured image for “We’re Hiring! | Griffin Plumbers”

We’re Hiring! | Griffin Plumbers

Featured image for “Griffin Plumbing Featured in The Sun’s ‘Best of’ Issue”

Griffin Plumbing Featured in The Sun’s ‘Best of’ Issue

Featured image for “Griffin Plumbing Announces Donation to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Maria Valley”

Griffin Plumbing Announces Donation to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Maria Valley

Featured image for “Trenchless Pipe and Sewer Line Repair 101 | The Basics Explained”

Trenchless Pipe and Sewer Line Repair 101 | The Basics Explained

Featured image for “Home Water Filtration And Treatment Tips From Griffin Plumbing”

Home Water Filtration And Treatment Tips From Griffin Plumbing

Featured image for “Water Leak Detection And Repair 101”

Water Leak Detection And Repair 101

Featured image for “Home Buying Tips from Griffin Plumbing”

Home Buying Tips from Griffin Plumbing

Featured image for “It’s Time To Play The Water Heater Dating Game: Hosted by Griffin Plumbing”

It’s Time To Play The Water Heater Dating Game: Hosted by Griffin Plumbing

Featured image for “Is Your Plumbing Ready For Spring?”

Is Your Plumbing Ready For Spring?

Featured image for “How To Tame a Tricky Toilet”

How To Tame a Tricky Toilet

Featured image for “Water Heater Maintenance 101 – Valuable Tips From Griffin Plumbing”

Water Heater Maintenance 101 – Valuable Tips From Griffin Plumbing

Featured image for “Honoring Our Veterans With Honor Flight | Griffin Plumbing”

Honoring Our Veterans With Honor Flight | Griffin Plumbing

Featured image for “Griffin Plumbing | Preserving Old Fashioned Customer Service”

Griffin Plumbing | Preserving Old Fashioned Customer Service

Featured image for “Local Business Spotlight | Klondike Pizza Of Santa Maria”

Local Business Spotlight | Klondike Pizza Of Santa Maria

Featured image for “Get The Skinny On Your Drainage Diet Plan”

Get The Skinny On Your Drainage Diet Plan

Every Plumbing Problem Deserves A Griffin Solution!

Schedule your appointment today!

Griffin Plumbing, Inc. • (805) 934-1949

Launch Online Scheduler