Cleaning your plumbing is likely the last thing from your thoughts right now. Unfortunately, as you spend more time socially isolating at home, your plumbings health will become increasingly important. You don’t want to be stuck at home with a clogged toilet or a broken faucet.
Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do right now to help keep your plumbings in working order. Taking care of your plumbing fittings is a terrific method to take your mind off of things for a little while if you’re searching for something simple and beneficial to do. Each of these cleaning and maintenance tasks is simple, quick, and doesn’t require any special equipment.
Drains Should Be Cleaned.
The majority of drain obstructions do not happen all at once. Instead, sludge and filth accumulate over time in your drain pipes. Getting rid of the sludge as soon as possible will help you avoid most future obstructions. Even if your sink, shower, or tub drains don’t appear to be clogged, we recommend clearing them out on a regular basis. And now is the ideal opportunity to do so! White vinegar, baking soda, and boiling water are all you’ll need.
Pour around 12 cup of baking soda down the drain first. After that, add 12 cup white vinegar to the mix and let it settle for 15 minutes. Repeat this method on each of your drains while you wait. For each drain you’re cleaning, bring one cup of water to a boil. Pour one cup of hot water down each drain after 15 minutes. The baking soda and vinegar react chemically to break up the muck in your drains, which is then flushed away with hot water.
Make Sure Your Traps Are Clean.
The curving pipe beneath the sink that connects the drain pipe to the sewer pipe is known as the “trap.” Traps are referred to as “p-traps,” “s-traps,” or “u-traps” depending on the shape of their curves. A trap’s curve is designed to keep part of the water you flush down the drain. This water produces an air barrier in the drain, preventing sewage gases from rising back up. Regrettably, traps frequently hold on to the other items you unintentionally flush down the toilet.
Traps, fortunately, are simple to remove and clean. To begin, locate the trap beneath your sink. It’s curved and made of metal or PVC, with two slide nuts connecting it to each pipe. Place a pail beneath the trap and put on some rubber gloves. Remove it by releasing the slip nuts with a wrench or by hand. Pour the contents of the trap into the bucket. Check to see if there’s anything stuck inside the trap, then scrape it clean. When you’re through cleaning, re-tighten the slide nuts to replace the trap. To make sure everything is working properly, run the sink.
Showerheads Should Be Cleaned.
It’s not all in your head: your shower might not be working as well as it once did. Fortunately, the source of the issue is fairly simple: it’s most likely your showerhead. Scale build-up, minerals, and other junk can block the nozzles of your showerhead over time. When your household has hard water, this happens more frequently. Cleaning your showerhead is a simple and effective technique to get the most out of your showers once more.
There are a few different approaches to this. First, try scrubbing the nozzles with an old toothbrush dipped in a cleaning solution. If it doesn’t work, fill a plastic bag with 12 cup white vinegar, 12 cup baking soda, and 1 cup boiling water (remember this?). Submerge the nozzles by tying the sack around the showerhead. Finally, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for disassembling the showerhead. Remove the filter from the showerhead and wash it in the sink. While you’re at it, clean the nozzles from the inside.
Mold Must Be Removed From Shower Grout.
Mold spores may be found almost anywhere, which means it can spread in any setting that supports its growth. Mold thrives in dark, humid areas, making it a serious issue in bathrooms, particularly showers. Mold loves to take up residence in the spaces between shower tiles. Mold growth can quickly outgrow its confines and spread to other areas of your bathroom. It may even have a negative impact on your health if it gets bad enough.
Before you begin, make sure your bathroom is properly ventilated. If feasible, open the door and window, and turn on the overhead fan. Fill a spray bottle with a cleaning solution, such as white vinegar (again!). Spray the cleaning solution straight into the areas that need to be cleaned. Using a coarse scrub brush, scrape the mould away. To reach between tiles, an old toothbrush can be useful. After cleaning, if you have caulk, you can replace any worn-out grout.
Final Thoughts
Committing to a little plumbings cleaning is never a waste of time and energy if you have the time and energy. Any cleaning you perform now may help you avoid a far more inconvenient and time-consuming problem in the future. When it comes to social distancing, now is the best time to get a head start.
Remember, you’re not alone if you don’t have the time or energy to perform routine plumbing repairs. Mike Diamond is still open for business and ready to assist with any plumbing issue, big or little. Give Mike Diamond a call at any time if you need a fixture cleaned, maintained, repaired, or replaced. Continue to be healthy!
In the event of a plumbing emergency, we are prepared to respond instantly. Please don’t hesitate to contact us.