Easy DIY Drain Maintenance

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Ever had a smelly drain in your home or a sink that takes hours to drain on its own? Your plumbing Delaware experts at Joseph Frederick and Sons are always happy to help, but there are a few DIY tricks you can try on your own before having to make that service call. Cleaning your drains regularly is the most obvious way to get rid of odors and buildup of organic residue that can lead to clogs. But if you find that water still will not drain properly in your sinks and tubs, there are a few quick fixes that are simple and will guarantee to have your sink working properly in no time. Here are a few hacks from Jos. Frederick and Sons to prevent annoying odors and clogs from forming in your drains at home:

DIY Drain Maintenance | Plumbing Delaware | Joseph Frederick & Sons

Getting Rid Of Odors And Buildup

  • Treat your drain with white vinegar, baking soda, and hot water. This age-old trick can help eliminate odors caused by the buildup of grease, bacteria, and other residues that can build up in your drain. Simply pour half a cup of baking soda followed by half a cup of white vinegar down your drain, then let sit for about 15 minutes before rinsing with boiled water.
  • Treat your drain with biological cleaners. This regular preventative treatment will help get rid of potentially harmful molds and bacteria. Your plumbing Delaware experts at Joseph Frederick and Sons strongly believe environmentally friendly cleaners are the safest option compared to chemical cleaners. They are very affordable and can be found at your local home or hardware stores.

Removing Clogs

  • Using a good old fashion plunger is the most common way to unclog toilets, sinks, and tubs. Fill the sink or tub with enough water to cover the drain and get to work. Be sure to create a tight seal over the drain, then give it several quick pumps. Our plumbing Delaware experts at Joseph Frederick and Sons suggest the best are bellows-style plungers.
  • Other tools you could try using to remove stubborn clogs are a barbed plastic drain cleaning tool, a cable auger, or a plumber’s snake. These affordable options can be bought or rented from your local hardware store.  This is the most effective way to get hair and other debris out of your clogged drain.
  • A third suggestion from your plumbing Delaware experts at Joseph Frederick and Sons is to use a heating pad around the trap pipe under your sink to melt away grease clogs.   Turn the heating pad on to warm up the pipe, then run hot water through the drain until the grease clears. Add a little dish detergent to help dissolve the grease.

Plumbing Delaware Experts At Joseph Frederick and Sons

If all else fails or you do not feel confident that you can handle your smelly, clogged drains on your own, your plumbing Delaware experts at Joseph Frederick and Sons are always happy to help. Using drain screens and avoiding dumping grease down your drains is the best way to prevent clogs - but clogs are still going to happen. Contact us today for all of your plumbing Delaware needs!