7 Common Causes of Clogged Drains and How to Fix Them

Clogged drains, whether they’re at your commercial place or the home, could cause odor, spread germs and also inconvenience. They also make you spend hours cleaning them over and over again. But one thing that you must wonder about is what are the common causes of clogged drains and how to fix them?

We’ll tell you about 7 common causes of clogged drains in the house and also in commercial properties along with a step-by-step guide to fix each. Stay around! LS Plumber Singapore also offers bathroom flood repair, clogged drain, and instant water heater services in Singapore.

7 Common Causes of Clogged Drains and How to Fix Them

Clogged drains are no fun and they cause so much of the inconvenience. Whether it’s bad odor, spreading of the germs and also the dirtiness that you spend hours cleaning. 

It also leaves a bad impression on your guests if it’s in the house and on the clients if it’s on the commercial property. These are the 7 common reasons for clogged drains and how to fix them.

Hair Buildup

It starts small. A few strands slip through the drain cover during a shower, then tangle together. They catch onto anything else that passes, soap residue, dust, even tiny lint-like bits. 

Week by week, the clump grows without being seen. One day, the water wasn’t going anywhere fast. That’s when the problem finally shows itself.

How to Fix?

• Take the cover off and hook the hair out with a bent wire or a drain snake.
• Run a kettle of hot water down afterward to push the tiny pieces away.
• Pour in baking soda, then vinegar, let it bubble out, and finish with more boiling water.
  

Food Waste In The Sink

Rice, pasta, and coffee grounds might seem harmless, but once they find their way into the drain, they behave differently. Rice swells, pasta turns sticky, and coffee grounds settle at the bottom. Add a little grease and they stick together like cement. The sink works fine for a while, then it stops without warning.

How to Fix?

• Scoop out any scraps at the top with a spoon or your hand.
• Send hot water straight down to soften what’s clinging deeper in.
• Drop baking soda in, pour vinegar over it, let it fizz, and finish with boiling water.
  

Soap Scum

Shower drains and bathroom sinks often slow down from soap residue. It happens when soap meets minerals in the water and forms a sticky coat inside the pipe. The layer grabs onto hair, dust, and other small bits, making the drain narrower. It builds slowly, so the change is hardly noticed until it’s stubborn.

How to Fix?

• Pour vinegar mixed with hot water so it can work on the residue.
• Use a narrow brush to scrub inside where you can reach.
• Let it sit for a short time, then flush through with boiling water.
  

Grease And Oil

Grease runs easily when it’s hot, but once it cools inside a pipe, it hardens and clings. The next time grease or oil goes down, it adds another layer. Trapped food bits join in. The flow slows down until there’s almost nothing moving at all.

How to Fix?

• Scrape cold grease into the trash before rinsing dishes.
• For what’s already there, pour very hot water in first.
• Follow with baking soda, then vinegar, and rinse again with boiling water.
  

Foreign Objects

It only takes one small object to block a drain. A ring, a bit of plastic, even a toy part. Once it’s lodged, other debris gets stuck behind it. Suddenly, the water sits there like it has nowhere to go, because it doesn’t.

How to Fix?

• Take off the drain cover and use tongs or pliers to pull it out if you can see it.
• Don’t push it deeper into the pipe.
• Use a drain snake for anything further down, then flush with water to check the flow.
  

Mineral Buildup

In areas with hard water, pipes slowly coat themselves with minerals. At first, it’s just a thin layer, hardly noticeable. Over the years, it turns into a rough, chalky lining that narrows the passage. Water moves slower, and the surface now traps soap and dirt, making the clog even worse.

How to Fix?

• Pour vinegar mixed with water into the drain and let it sit.
• Scrub what’s within reach using a stiff brush.
• Rinse through with boiling water, repeating if needed.
  

Toilet Paper And Wipes

A handful of toilet paper might not seem like much until it bunches up in the pipes. Wipes are even tougher, they don’t break apart easily, no matter what the label says. Once stuck, they collect more waste and become a solid blockage.

How to Fix?

• Start with a plunger to shift the blockage.
• Use a toilet auger if plunging doesn’t work.
• Avoid flushing wipes and large amounts of paper to keep it from happening again.
  

Final Words

Clogged drains are agitating and can also get you and your loved ones sick as they spread so many germs. They also cause a bad odour that makes it hard for you to work or even eat at home. 

So, these are the common causes of clogged drains and how to fix them: Hair buildup clears when pulled out with a wire, then flushed with hot water. 

Food waste moves when scraps are removed and the drain is treated with baking soda and vinegar. Soap scum softens with a vinegar mix and rinses clean. Grease loosens with hot water after scraping it away. Foreign objects need careful removal before flushing. 

Mineral buildup breaks down with vinegar and scrubbing. Toilet paper and wipes are cleared with plunging or an auger.

Frequently Asked Questions