Plenty of things can cause a blocked drain. But we’ve put together the most common, and unusual, suspects to help you stay vigilant.
Baby Wipes
Despite being used for things you’d rather put down the toilet, baby wipes can be disastrous for your drains. They are not as frangible as regular toilet paper, meaning they tend to keep their shape when flushed. To prevent potential blockages, consider getting a small bin for the bathroom.
Hair
This one goes without saying, with clumps of hair frequently clogging plugholes, but it can also cause blockages further down the drain. Brushing any loose strands from your hair beforehand is a good practice to prevent this.
If you suspect there may be a buildup in your drain, you can request a CCTV drain survey Wolverhampton from drain specialists such as www.wilkinson-env.co.uk/drainage-services-cctv-surveys-midlands/cctv-drain-surveys/cctv-drain-surveys-wolverhampton.
Bath Salts
This one seems counterintuitive. Bath salts dissolve, so how could they block the drain? While they are supposed to dissolve, lumps can go unnoticed and end up clogging the pipes over time. Bubble bath is a good alternative thanks to its liquid state.
Coffee
Just like bath salts, you would assume coffee dissolves and flows seamlessly to the sewers. But ground coffee does not fully dissolve. People often pour out leftover sediments for convenience, but this debris can easily build up with how frequently people drink coffee. To avoid this, simply scoop any remnants into the bin.
Fat
Fat has become an increasingly problematic blocker as of late, with giant ‘fatbergs’ making it into the news and grossing out the public.
Because fat is too viscous to fully pass through the drain, it glues itself to the sides, in turn accommodating more fat buildup. To avoid this, follow the same process as coffee – allow it to cool and congeal, then scoop into the bin.
Soap and Toothpaste
Whilst these products are intended for personal hygiene, the cleaning effect unfortunately doesn’t carry over to drains. Instead, excess lumps of soap and toothpaste can latch onto the side of pipes, accumulating any other debris with their stickiness, indirectly blocking your drains.
