Spring Cleaning: Plumbing Edition

We all know the phrase that makes its way into conversation when spring rolls around: spring cleaning — the time where you clear out all the unnecessary stuff, deep clean, and organize, etc. A transforming time for your home, really. Well, as we are in this unique season of having to stay home with more and more time on our hands and with no way of getting around spring cleaning, we wanted to share some spring plumbing cleaning you can do while you’re at home. 

Keeping Your Kitchen Tidy and Functional

When it comes to this space, functionality is everything. A kitchen that only looks nice but doesn’t work isn’t much help. One of the most common plumbing kitchen problems is clogged drains. So to keep your drains working properly, here are some ways to prevent them from getting clogged and some things to try if they are. 

To Prevent Clogs:

1. Don’t put fats, oils, grease, potato peels, fibrous vegetables, coffee grounds, pasta, etc., down the drain. All of those, especially the first three, are a big no-no if you want to avoid calling a plumber. So make sure those are disposed of properly: in the trash. 
2. Sani Sticks are thin rods with enzymes that work to absorb and dissolve matter. You just place it down the drain, and it works through the products you dispose of. Great for maintaining a clean drain, but it is not meant to dissolve a pre-existing clog. 

How to Clear a Clogged Kitchen Drain:

You might’ve heard about baking soda being the magical ingredient found in almost every household and able to do wonders. Well, it is definitely multipurpose and has incredible capabilities due to its deodorizing and neutralizing qualities. Most importantly, it’s safe, which is why it’s used for scrubbing kitchens, neutralizing the trash smell, and more. 

If your kitchen drain is stuck, try mixing baking soda and salt (ratio of 2:1) and then pouring it down the drain. Let it sit for a couple of hours to allow it to pull and soften the gunk stuck on the inside of the pipe. Then wash it down with hot water. Do not use boiling water, as it can loosen joints on the PVC pipe and disfigure the garbage disposal. If that doesn’t clear it, calling a plumber to snake the drain is the next best thing — not pouring chemicals. When you use harsh chemicals to clear a clog, it can weaken the pipe itself and then cause more issues going forward. It’s not a plumbing solution if it works at the expense of your actual plumbing.  

Keeping Your Bathroom Clean

We’re plumbers so we might be biased, but a clean and beautiful bathroom makes a house that much more amazing. It’s what we notice. Who doesn’t love walking in and seeing a clean tile floor, stylish vanity with the right kind of sink and nice fixtures. That’s right, we all love it. Yet again, you can’t enjoy it if something isn’t working. Let’s talk about it. 

Say Goodbye to Slow Shower Drains

Slow shower drains are not uncommon and are pretty annoying. They are usually caused by hair getting stuck in the drain. That’s why we recommend that if you have hair, install a “hair catcher” (especially if you don’t have a drain cover; even then, it’s super handy).

If you are experiencing slow shower drains you can take some tweezers or a thin metal line to pick out hair that might’ve gotten stuck. It’s not the most pleasant sight; no one will argue with you about that! But it’s an effective and safe way of clearing a blockage. If there is a serious clog, having a plumber snake it will be the best solution (if you have already tried the baking soda method as discussed previously). 

A Word About Sinks

Similar advice applies to bathroom sinks. You won’t be putting a hair catcher in the drain. However, resist the urge to wash whatever you see down. After blow-drying, getting ready, whatever it is, there’s usually some hair on the counters and sink. The natural thing is to wash it down with water, right? We wish. It might seem like harmless hair, but you wash enough of it down and it will clog the sink. We’ve seen it, and it’s just better not to. 

Don’t Forget The Fixtures

Both kitchens and bathrooms have plenty of fixtures, so that’s yet another thing to clean. However, it’s not solely for appearance’s sake. Making sure to sanitize is even more important as fixtures we often touch become germ central. Think about it: Every time you go to turn on the faucet, the germs on your hands gladly make their way over and conglomerate on the faucet handle. Same thing with opening doors, turning on lights, etc. Therefore, it’s essential that cleaning is accompanied by sanitizing. 

Simpson Plumbing is Here to Help

As always, we’re here to help you take care of your home and the plumbing in it. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us! We hope that you have a satisfying clean and take some time to put preventative measures in place to maintain the health of your plumbing. Speaking of which, our Service Plan helps you do that with a team dedicated to keeping your plumbing in tip-top shape. Make sure to take a look!