How to Prevent Kitchen Drain Clogs

Kitchen drain clogs are part of daily life for many Portland homeowners. You can easily avoid them, however, by taking just a few simple precautions. Follow these tips for removing drain clogs from your monthly routine once and for all.  

Avoid Draining Food and Grease

If you use your kitchen sink to rinse off plates, pots, and pans, letting a few pieces of food run into your drain can seem relatively harmless when, in fact, this seemingly minor lapse is the primary cause of kitchen drain clogs.
Take special care in keeping potato peels, apple skins, and pasta out of your sink, as these won’t easily break down in drainpipes. Grease acts as a powerful adhesive in the formation of drain clogs, so be sure to wipe off greasy pots and pans before washing them in your sink.

Use Drain Screens

Despite your best intentions, it’s inevitable that some bits and pieces of food will wind up in your sink. To prevent them from entering your drainpipes, be sure to use your drain screens diligently. Try to empty them before they become completely filled with food materials.

Use Chemicals Sparingly

If clogs do occur, don’t resort directly to chemical drain cleaners. These products can corrode your drainpipes. Or, you could avoid corrosive drain cleaning products altogether, opting instead for green drain cleaning products.

Clear Out Your Drain Trap

If you find that the drain in your kitchen sink is slow or becomes clogged more often than usual, you could have a blocked drain trap. Drain traps are the curved “S” portion of the pipe beneath your kitchen sink. They’re used to trap water to prevent sewer gases from exiting from your drains. Periodically, drain traps can become clogged with hair, grease, and food materials. You can clean out a drain trap yourself, or you can call a professional for the job. If you decide to go it alone, be sure to use a bucket to prevent a watery mess on your kitchen floor, and replace any washers or components that have become corroded.

For drain care advice from Portland area plumbers, visit our Ask the Experts page. Access our plumbing FAQ for answers to your questions about everyday plumbing maintenance.