Most kitchen clogs we clear come from a short list of everyday items. Keeping them out of the drain saves you a service call and protects your pipes.
The usual suspects
- Grease, fats and oils. They go down as liquid, then cool and harden on the inside of your pipes.
- Coffee grounds. They do not break down. They clump together and settle in the trap.
- Eggshells. The thin membrane wraps around disposal blades, and the shell fragments add to sludge.
- Rice and pasta. Both keep absorbing water and swell inside the pipe.
- Fibrous vegetables. Celery, onion skins and corn husks tangle in the disposal and the drain line.
- Flour. Mixed with water it turns into a paste that sticks to everything.
Habits that help
- Scrape plates into the trash or compost before rinsing.
- Pour cooled grease into a can and throw it away.
- Run cold water while the disposal is on and for a few seconds after.
- Use a sink strainer to catch food scraps.
When it is more than a simple clog
If your kitchen sink drains slowly again soon after you clear it, or more than one drain backs up at the same time, the blockage may be further down the line. That is a job for a cable machine or hydro jetting, and it is worth having us take a look before it turns into a backup.
