(Not Quite) Down the Drain: Six Common Items to Get Stuck
Jan 12, 2011 11:57 AM
Drain clogs are a lot like bad movies. They’re tricky to avoid, they last longer than you want them to, and they can happen for a variety of reasons. Here at Drano® Clog Talk™, we won’t go into an in-depth analysis of Steven Seagal’s acting abilities, but we’ll definitely get into the reasons behind drain clogs.
Six Causes:
1. Hair
If you’re a girl with long hair, or the lead singer in a metal band, you could be a culprit. Strands of long hair tend to clump up inside drains. Try Drano® Max Gel—it works great on hair clogs.
2. Food
Sometimes ordering the one-pound triple cheeseburger seems like a good idea, but then half-way through your belt starts creaking and stretching under the immense pressure. When you throw the leftovers down the drain instead of in the trash, clogs can happen.
3. Dirt/Debris
Maybe you spent the last two months hiking the Appalachian Trail with only a compass, a pair of hiking shorts, and a knapsack full of jerky. Or maybe you just walked four feet from your front door and planted two petunias. Either way, when it’s shower time, clumps of dirt and debris can clog your drain. Try to clear off some of the gunk before washing off to prevent these clogs from occurring.
4. Toilet Paper
There are times you need a lot of toilet paper—and perhaps a nutritionist. But too much toilet paper down the toilet can come back to haunt you. Just be mindful of how much you use and you’ll be fine. But if your toilet happens to clog, a regular plunger should do the trick.
5. Soap Scum
If you stop using soap when you bathe, you won’t have as many clogs. But you also won’t have as many friends. Rather than ditching the soap altogether, use liquid shower gel instead of cake soap to help prevent soap scum from building up in your drain.
6. Cooking Grease/Oil
Grease can be pretty slimy, literally and figuratively. It presents itself as a liquid, so you’d think it can go down the drain, but once it’s down there, it starts playing tricks on you. It sticks to your pipes and hardens, preventing water from flowing freely. Drano® Kitchen Crystals are great at melting down kitchen grease. Just make sure you don’t use it in a drain with a garbage disposal.