How To Prevent Clogged Drains in 7 Easy Ways

Clogged drains are the last thing you want to deal with. If you've ever had your kitchen sink back up with murky water, or your shower slowly becomes a swimming pool, you'll certainly know that dreaded feeling. That's why knowing how to prevent clogged drains can save you a whole lot of hassle and potentially costly repairs to your plumbing system.

Those everyday habits of pouring grease down the sink or flushing the wrong things down the toilet that you may have thought nothing of? These can lead to some serious blockages in your drain pipes, sewer lines and stormwater drains.

By changing a few small habits and keeping up with some simple maintenance, you can keep your drains flowing freely and avoid those dreaded blocked drains. Here are 7 ways to achieve just that!

1. Be Careful What Goes Down the Drain

Be mindful of what you put down the drain, whether it’s in the kitchen, bathroom or the laundry. The following are notorious for building up quickly in your drain pipes and causing stubborn blockages:

• Food waste
• Cooking grease
• Coffee grounds
• Wet wipes

Always use toilet paper sparingly, and never flush things like paper towels or other debris down the loo. These materials don’t break down easily; they will clog up your sewer lines and the whole sewer system. You don’t want to be dealing with standing water or an unexpected blocked drain.

2. Use Drain Strainers in Your Kitchen and Bathroom

A drain strainer in your kitchen and bathroom can be the lifesaver you never knew you needed. It catches food particles, food scraps and small bits of rubbish that shouldn’t go down the kitchen sink drain. In the bathroom, it helps to prevent hair clumps, soap scum and other debris from causing avoidable drain clogs.

Just remember to empty and rinse your strainers regularly. That’s the key to keeping them working effectively. It’s also the key to keeping your kitchen drains and bathroom sink drains flowing freely.

3. Avoid Pouring Grease and Oil Down the Sink

Pouring grease and oil down the sink might seem harmless, but it’s one of the fastest ways to cause a clogged drain.

Why is it a bad idea? Simply put, grease cools, hardens and sticks to the inside of your drain pipes, trapping food particles and creating a stubborn build-up. Over time, this can slow water flow, cause unpleasant smells (both common signs of a blocked drain) and affect your entire plumbing system.

Your best alternative is to scrape that oil or fat into the rubbish bin instead. You’ll avoid messy kitchen clogs and keep your kitchen drains and sewer system clear.

4. Use Natural Cleaners Like Baking Soda and Vinegar

Chemical cleaners might offer a quick fix for drain clogs, but they can be harsh on your pipes and the environment. A safer and more natural alternative method of how to prevent clogged drains is cleaning them out with baking soda and white vinegar. Follow these basic instructions:

• Pour half a cup of baking soda down the sink drain.
• Follow it up by pouring half a cup of white vinegar.
• Let it fizz for 10-15 minutes.
• Flush it away with hot water (not boiling water, as this can warp PVC pipes).

This combination breaks down grime, neutralises odours and prevents build-up that leads to a clogged drain. Regular use can keep your kitchen drains, bathroom drains, and toilet drains healthy and free of pests. It will also reduce your reliance on chemical drain cleaners.

5. Flush Drains Regularly with Hot Water

Flushing your drains with hot water is one of the easiest ways to keep your drainage system healthy. It’s a good habit that is well worth getting into, and your pipes and plumbing system will thank you for it.

Once a week, pour some very hot water down your kitchen sink, bathroom sink drains and shower drains. That water will help to melt away grease, loosen soap scum and clear out the residue clinging to the inside of your drain pipes. It’s especially helpful after washing dishes, as it pushes any lingering oils or food particles further down so they don’t build up.

Note that this won’t fix an already clogged drain, of course. But when you’re looking for practical ways of how to prevent clogged drains, this is one of the easiest ways to stop them in the first place.

6. Simple Tips to Prevent Clogged Drains

Simple changes to your daily habits can make a huge difference in preventing clogged drains. Here are a few of those habits:

• Scrape food scraps into the rubbish bin before washing dishes. That reduces the debris in your kitchen sink drain.
• Don’t flush paper towels, wet wipes or other debris down the toilet.
• Clean your shower drains regularly to remove hair and soap scum.
• Keep leaves and garden debris away from stormwater drains.
• Book an annual cleaning for your drain and sewer lines to maintain good water flow.

By following these everyday habits, you’ll help prevent blocked drains and reduce the risk of unexpected plumbing problems.

7. Call a Professional Plumber for Recurring Issues

If you’ve tried everything and your drains still clog regularly, it’s time to call a professional plumber.

Some problems—like tree roots invading your sewer lines, collapsed PVC pipes or blockages deep in your drain and sewer lines—need expert tools and knowledge to fix properly. A licensed plumber can inspect your plumbing system, pinpoint the cause and clear stubborn blockages using equipment like a drain snake or plumber’s snake. They’ll also check for issues affecting your whole sewer system, which might not be visible from the surface.

If you need to replace pipes that are beyond repair, by law you will require a licensed plumber to carry out that work. Any alterations to pipe work must be performed by a suitably licensed plumbing professional.

Keep Your Drains Clear with Simple Habits

Knowing how to prevent clogged drains and applying those practices doesn’t have to be complicated. With a few everyday habits—like using a drain strainer, avoiding grease and flushing with hot water—you can protect your plumbing system and avoid the mess and stress of a clogged drain.

Staying mindful of what goes down the drain, especially in high-use areas like the kitchen sink and bathroom sink drains, helps prevent build-up in your drain pipes and sewer system.

Regular maintenance and a bit of common sense go a long way in keeping your drains clear and your home running smoothly. And if you do run into trouble, don’t hesitate to call in a professional plumber for expert support.

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