Entertaining guests during the holidays is both stressful and enjoyable. A clogged drain has the potential to ruin your holiday gathering, whether by causing strange odors in your home or by causing a broken sewer line.

Fortunately, keeping your drains clear and ready to carry water away from your home is an easy task. With some preventative steps throughout the year and access to a professional plumber, you don’t have to worry about plumbing problems ruining your festivities.

What’s the Best Way to Keep A Clear Drain?

Precautionary steps are the keys to ensuring a free-flowing drain during the holidays, as well as throughout the year. Never use your sink drain as a garbage disposal, even if you have a disposal installed. The following tips can help maintain a clear drain:

• Food scraps, oil, solid fats, and viscous substances like gravy should be placed in the garbage rather than poured down the drain. Even though you may flush down these items with hot water, a residue can remain that will, over time, cause a clogged drain. This will happen at the most inconvenient time.
• Drain strainers can eliminate the possibility of food scraps going down the drain, and a small strainer is inexpensive and readily available.
• Periodically pour a half-cup of baking soda down the drain and follow it with a cup of distilled white vinegar. This creates a chemical reaction that will dissolve most minor food buildups or blockages. Let the vinegar/baking soda solution sit for an hour or so, then follow with boiling water.
• Use your garbage disposal carefully. A disposal isn’t intended to pulverize everything into pieces that will go down the drain. For example, bones, coffee grounds, celery, pasta, starchy foods, and fruit pits should be placed into the garbage, not down the disposal. Paper products such as napkins and paper towels should not go down the disposal either.

Start Early

The best way to prevent a clog that’s already in process is to check all your drains before your guests arrive. If your kitchen sink drain is sluggish, call a professional plumber to ensure that you start your holiday celebrations with a clear drain.

This applies to all your other drains as well. If your bathroom drains or your laundry drains are moving slowly, include them in the service call. With minor attention, your household drains can function well throughout the holiday season.

Where’s A Plumber in My Area?

For the best plumbing and drain cleaning services in Cedar Rapids, IA, call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing today!