Ever been staring at your drain in the shower, while the water rises to your ankles? The water really isn’t meant to rise up the shower screen, it should to flow down the drain (yes, a drain is meant to drain). Or have you ever, washed your hands in a basin, instead of the water swirling down the drain begins to touch your hands. We've all been there. Let’s show you how to clear blocked drains for good (or at least for a while).

This blog is your secret weapon to prepare you to clear your next blocked drain. We cover:

The sneaky culprits behind clogged drains (and how to stop them in their tracks)
Simple yet effective preventative measures to keep your drains flowing freely
DIY fixes you can tackle yourself to clear minor clogs
When to call in the plumber pros for those stubborn blockages

Understanding the Enemy: Why Drains Get Blocked

Drains can get blocked from a range of unwanted guests. The usual culprits include:

Grease buildup: This congeals over time, forming stubborn blockages, especially in kitchen drains.
Hair: A common culprit in bathroom drains, hair can accumulate and trap other debris.
Soap scum: Over time, soap scum can build up on the inner walls of pipes, leading to gradual narrowing.
Foreign objects: Sometimes things end up in drains that shouldn't be there, causing complete blockages. Commonly wipes, food scraps, small objects, sanitary products and more.
[Outdoors] Tree roots: Tree roots, seeking water, can sneak into tiny cracks and gaps in leaking pipes, causing clogs and even pipe damage.

Knowing what’s causing the blockages in the first place is key to resolving the blockage and preventing them down the line. Let’s dig in to solutions.

Long-Term Solutions: Prevention is Key

Developing preventative habits is the best defence against blocked drains. Here are some simple practices to incorporate into your household routine:

Develop Preventative Habits to Clear Blocked Drains

Use drain strainers: these are cheap, extremely practical tools which help catch hair and food scraps before they enter the drain.
Avoid pouring grease down the drain: Grease solidifies as it cools, causing major blockages. Let the grease cool and solidify, then discard it in the bin. Super easy way to prevent blockages in the kitchen.
Regularly clean drains with hot water and baking soda: This is an easy way to reduce mild blockages as they begin. However, this won’t remove a major build up. You’ll need to call a plumber for that.

Schedule professional drain cleaning: You can schedule a professional clean of your main drains every 1-2 years. This is a long term prevention solution so we can blast out and build up. Us plumbers have a variety of tools to detect, remove and clean blockages whilst they’re in the process of building up. This will prevent major blockages, further damage to your property and also remove any foul smells from your bathroom and kitchen drains.

DIY Fixes for the Occasional Blocked Drain

Even when you have been doing preventative measures, blockages can still pop up from time to time. Here’s a few ways you could remove small blockages, before calling a plumber:

Using Natural Cleaning Methods

A baking soda and vinegar solution can be a lifesaver for mild blockages. The bubbling reaction helps break down soap scum and grease. Safety Note: Always pour vinegar slowly down the drain after adding baking soda to avoid overflow. Overflow may cause damages to your skink or drains so it is still best to call Water Relief Plumbing to avoid damages.

Using a Plunger

A plunger is a common way to remove toilet, bathtub or sink blockages. You’ll have to create a tight seal and plunge forcefully to dislodge the blockage. You can purchase plungers at your local shops and give this a try. You can purchase plungers from Bunnings and ask their team for help if you need a hand.

Using a Drain Snake

For deeper clogs, a drain snake can be a helpful tool. These come in manual and powered varieties. Safety Note: When using a drain snake, follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully to avoid damaging your pipes. Important: if you are unsure of how to use, call us for emergency plumbing, to avoid you damaging your pipes and creating further damage.

When to Call a Professional Plumber to Clear Blocked Drains

While a lot of these hacks and quick fixes, they can often only solve the problem for a short moment (might be weeks, might be moths or more). To ensure a long term solution, calling a plumber out is the best solution. Here’s a sign that you need a hand from the pros:

Recurring blockages: If your drains are constantly clogging, it suggests a deeper problem.
Damaged pipes: Leaking or cracked pipes require immediate attention to prevent further damage to your home.
Complex blocked drains: It's best to call a plumber who has the tools and expertise to handle the situation if there is a complex blockage. We have the tools to ensure no or minimal damage to your property and can

Wrap Up

By actively trying to reduce blockages (reducing the causes) and also implementing some maintenance tips. You can reduce the amount of times and the extent of damages (how major they are).

Proactive maintenance, frequently solving minor problems (with and without a plumber) to reduce major problems will be a more cost effective solution for households. This will help maintain healthy plumbing systems.

Don’t hesitate to call a plumber when the situation requires it. Call us to give you a free quote, we’ll check out the extent of the issue at hand.

Clear Blocked Drains for Good! Long-Term Solutions and DIY Fixes