Kitchen work, like cooking and baking, stops being fun when you have a clogged sink. Pipe blockage can cause water to back up and create a flood in your kitchen. From your countertops down to your cabinets and appliances, you will have to deal with a lot of water damage unless you help prevent clogs before they happen.

Here’s how you can prevent a clogged sink and maintain the charming form of your kitchen.

Throw food waste into the trash bin

Cutting dishwashing time by throwing leftover food into the drain will get you in big trouble. Experts say that large quantities of starchy foods like rice, potatoes, and pasta break down into a mush that can clog your drain. Fats, oil, and grease are other common causes of clogged drains. Grease, in particular, is related to about 70 percent of sewer overflows, according to wastewater engineer Rebecca Shelton. If you don’t want to deal with the messy drain cleaning job, make it a habit to throw food waste into a trash bin or a disposable container.

Install a garbage disposal

While you should not highly rely on garbage disposals when disposing of garbage or kitchen waste, the device can actually help break items that slip into the drain. Today, you can find garbage disposal products with multi-grind technology that can effectively handle fibrous foods. Remember to only throw a small amount of waste into your garbage disposal for an easy grinding process.

Stop using chemical cleaners

Commercial cleaners are popular for clearing clogged drains. However, the acidic properties of these cleaners can bring harm to your plumbing fixtures. The acid corrodes the pipes, causing a greater number of plumbing issues in your home, such as clogs through piping material buildup and leaks. You don’t want to run the risk of damaging your piping system. So, never take a shortcut with chemical cleaners.

Use a drain strainer

Placing a screen or strainer cup over your drains will help you avoid serious clogged problems at home. This tool allows water to go down the drain while filtering out food chunks and other large debris that could clog the pipes. To help maintain the efficiency of your drain stopper, make sure to give it a good scrubbing to remove gunk buildup.

Schedule a regular drain cleaning service

When you take the time to clean your drains, you help reduce the risks of serious pipe blockage. However, only the pros know how to completely eliminate this type of plumbing problem in your home. For your peace of mind, call in the pros to regularly check and clean your house drains. Professional drain cleaning will not only guarantee you fast and smooth drain use but also remove horrific plumbing odors that won’t go away with simple flushing of water.

A household needs quality plumbing to run properly. While a minor clog problem may seem harmless at first, it can easily escalate and cause great damage to your plumbing system. To maintain a healthy and safe home for your family, get help from a reputable plumbing company. Discuss your home’s plumbing maintenance needs with a pro today!