The holidays are coming up soon, and you’ve got a lot to do to get ready for friends and family to come over. Calling the plumber to unclog your sink is one thing you’d rather not have to add to your list.

Here are some easy ways you can prevent clogged drains from ruining your family gatherings during the holidays.

Keep Grease, Oils, and Food Scraps Out of Your Drain

Many of us grew up with the habit of scraping our plates into the kitchen sink before putting them in the dishwasher. Used oil and grease leftover in the frying pan would get dumped down the sink too. And then when we helped prepare meals, we were taught to just dump those vegetable peels into the garbage disposal.

But running the garbage disposal doesn’t magically prevent clogged drains. Those oils cool and harden into a sludge that sticks to your pipes. And a lot of those food scraps get trapped with the sludge and can lead to slow drains and nasty clogs.

Scrape plates off into the kitchen trash. Dump used oil into an old mayo jar, and toss it in the trash along with the peels from potatoes, carrots, lemons, and everything else.

Only Flush Toilet Paper Down the Toilet

Toilet paper is just about the only product properly designed to be toilet-safe.

Paper towels, feminine products, and anything with plastic should go into the trash to prevent clogged toilets. Even flushable wipes can take too long to dissolve, especially with today’s water efficient toilets that put less water down the drain.

Clear Hair and Bar Soap Out of Shower Drains

After every shower, it’s a good idea to clear the hair and soap scum from the drain. Just grab it with a tissue or paper towel and toss in the trash. And once a week or so, pop up the drain, or use a plastic drain cleaner to pull out any hair down in the drain pipe.

You can also get a mesh screen cover over your tub drain to keep even more hair and bits of soap from getting in there and causing clogs. The same idea applies to your bathroom sink.

Instead of washing little gobs of toothpaste and bar soap down the sink drain, just grab them with a tissue. And then toss them in the trash.

Keep Up With Basic Plumbing Maintenance

Preventive maintenance is one of the best habits for every homeowner. Preventing clogged drains in your kitchen and bathroom isn’t too difficult:

• Follow the tips above
• Clean drains with vinegar and baking soda every month or two
• Have us check your sewer lines annually

Don’t let a nasty clog put a damper on your holiday gatherings this year in Corvallis, OR. Follow these tips to prevent clogged sinks, pipes, and toilets. And if you’ve already got a slow drain or clogged sink, contact Evenflo Plumbing for safe professional drain cleaning services before the problem gets any worse.