Clogged kitchen sinks prevent the smooth drainage of wastewater. As a result, you will experience inconveniences when washing your food and dishes. In addition, the pressure of the blockage will build up over time and damage the drain pipes. The repair costs of broken and ruptured pipes will be high. Fortunately, you can prevent the blockage of your drains by changing your kitchen practices and habits. Here are some practical tips to help you prevent clogged sinks in your home.
Retain Your Sink Strainers
You should not remove your sink strainers from your sink under any circumstance. These screens are installed to limit the flow of food particles into the drainage pipes. Without this feature, leftovers would accumulate quickly in the wastewater pipes. If you feel that your drain cover is limiting the drainage functionality of your sink due to inappropriate sizing, you should talk to your plumber about getting a replacement.
Avoid Pouring Oil
You should not give in to the temptation of pouring waste oil into your kitchen sink. The oil might be in liquid form while hot or at room temperature. However, once it flows into the cold drain pipes, its state will change. It will solidify and cling to the walls of your drainage channels. Over time, the tubes will be too narrow to allow wastewater flow. For the best results, you should freeze the oil and dispose of it correctly with your household waste.
Dispose of Leftovers
You should always rinse your pots, pans and plates before placing them in your sink. In simple terms, your leftovers should go into the garbage disposal or rubbish bin. If you put the waste food into your kitchen sink, a lot of food debris will escape into the drainage through the strainer. The particles will build up in the channels and cause eventual clogging. By disposing of waste correctly, you will minimise the debris and limit the blockage risks. If you are using your garbage disposal, make sure you don't put the wrong things down there either.
Resolve Problems Early
You should clear out blocked drains as soon as they occur. Under normal circumstances, you cannot completely prevent the clogging of the sinks in your home forever. However, you can mitigate the effects of the blockages. When the sink starts to show signs of drainage malfunctions, you should be quick to clear them out. Plungers and chemical drain openers will work well in clearing the channels. You can also use hot water to clear out oil deposits. If you cannot resolve kitchen sink blockages with home solutions, you should hire a plumber for troubleshooting.
