5 Ways To Prevent Your Drains From Getting Blocked This Summer - PGS Services

It’s summertime in the UK, which means barbeques, sun cream, dog walking and hanging out with our loved ones (for many of us, anyway!). However, it is a lesser-known fact that all these things have the potential to block up your household drains.

To help make sure you don’t accidentally block up your own drains this summer, our Islington, Hackney and Chelsea plumbers have put together these five simple preventative measures.

Never pour oil or grease down the drain

You’ve probably heard it before, but many of us are guilty of doing it without thinking when we are in a rush – you should never pour oil or grease down the drain. Although it might be liquified now, once the grease from your barbeque enters the pipes it can solidify, causing a solid blockage in your drainage.

If you are lucky and it doesn’t cause a blockage in your home, it can still cause a blockage within your neighbourhood’s sewers. Then, it will not only be a problem for you, but also for all of your neighbours and the whole street.

Scrape food into the bin before washing any plates or bowls

Remember to scrape your plates of any leftover food into the bin before washing. This prevents any food scraps getting into your kitchen drains and contributing to a blockage.

Only flush toilet paper down the toilet

Although toilets can handle human waste and toilet paper, this doesn’t mean they are able to deal with other products, too. Face wipes, baby wipes, cotton pads, and sanitary towels should always be disposed of in a bin, rather than flushed down the loo.

Brush your hair (and your dog’s!) before bathing or showering

Brushing your hair before bathing or showering helps gets rid of any loose hair that might otherwise fall off while you are shampooing and block up your drains. Similarly, if you have to wash your dog in the bath after a walk, give them a good brush before cleaning begins.

Use a sink strainer or hair catcher

Sink strainers are the small metal, mesh or silicone sieves that might already come with your kitchen sink. They let water pass through but catch any larger debris, such as bits of food, before they can enter your kitchen drain.

In your bathroom, you might be more familiar with the concept of a hair catcher. These little plastic sieves are usually very cheap to buy, and can catch hair, sun cream, soap residue, and any undissolved bath products that could block your drains. It also means you don’t have to spend ages picking up hair after every shower – something that no one likes doing.

Drains still getting blocked? Time to call in a professional

If you have tried all of these things and your drains are still getting blocked, then it is time to call in the professionals. Our hackney plumbers, Islington and Chelsea plumbers are experienced in dealing with all kinds of drain blockages, offering a comprehensive drainage service, and are specialists in drain unblocking, drain cleaning, drain repairs, and drain surveying and testing.

For further information and free advice, please call PGS Plumbers today on 0203 370 0066.