Your bathroom drains see a lot of grime. Even if your home is always tidy, you’re probably still exposing your washing area to soap, grease, and other materials. Shower drains clog over time, making it difficult to clear the bathroom’s plumbing system during an emergency. Fear not, however, because you can keep your bathroom plumbing squeaky clean with these five tips.
Tip One: Use a Screen
Also called a drain-grate, a shower drain screen covers a shower drain’s opening. In doing so, it keeps away hair, filth, and dirt from your pipes. Water can still flow through, but you’ll be spared the long-term nasty buildup many homeowners experience. A lot of screens are removable, but you can install semi-permanent fixtures which keep the grime away around the year.
Tip Two: Run the Hot Water After Every Shower
Even if you’re showering with warm water, you should give your shower a quick hot water blast after every use. A jet of super-hot water can clear away grease and grime. It’s a small preventative action, but it works really well. If the shower head isn’t strong enough, fill a cup with hot water. Then, pour it down the drain after every use.
Tip Three: Clean Out Hair Regularly
Every shower drain experiences hair back-up. Once per month, you should dig into the piping. Remove any hair to prevent long-term clogs. It might be a gross process, but it’s a healthy alternative to emergency hair removal. Plus, you don’t even need a drain snake to remove the hair. A little soap and some hard work go a long way.
Tip Four: Wash Pets Outside
Speaking of hair: You shouldn’t use the bathtub for pet grooming. Wash pets outside to spare the pipes. If it’s too cold outside, let them have the indoor water. Ideally, you shouldn’t be dependent on your indoor drain for pet cleaning. A quick rinse isn’t worth the massive hair buildup.
Tip Five: Don’t Use Products with Shower Beads
Some shower gels, exfoliators, and soaps use plastic beads to clean your body. A lot of these products are being banned, however, because the plastic is building up inside drain pipes. Not only are these beads bad for the environment, they can seriously damage your drain system. We’re not even talking about clogs, either. They can accumulate, scratching and damaging pipe interiors.
If you think you’re facing a clogged bathroom drain, give us a call. Ask for a quote. We’re specialized in floor drain cleaning, bathroom sink cleaning, and bathroom drain cleaning. We’ve seen all there is to see, and our regular drain cleaning advice can help.