With the holiday season just around the corner, the amount of clogged drains that plumbers deal with will become more and more frequent. This is because people are spending more time at home than they usually would, accommodating visitors and perhaps having extra family members stay over for the Christmas break - all of these factors pose stress on plumbing fixtures. Decadent meals are also being lovingly prepared and consumed, so there’s an increase in greasy dishes. When you’re enjoying Christmas shenanigans, the last thing you need is a clogged drain or overflowing toilet. Read more for 4 useful tips on preventing a clogged drain disaster this holiday season:

1. DON’T POUR OIL DOWN THE SINK

Oil is notorious for causing blocked drains and sewers. This is because when oil cools down it solidifies and sticks to anything inside the pipes, including the pipe itself. This hardened oil becomes glue for all other debris within the pipes, creating what plumbers call ‘fatbergs’. Ensure greasy food items and cooking oil is disposed of in the bin or compost. This includes animal fats left over from roasting, oily gravies, leftover cream and any other greasy food scraps. Another effective method to employ when you’re cleaning the aftermath of Christmas lunch is to wipe cooking pots and plates with a paper towel before washing them.

2. INSTALL A DRAIN GRATE IN THE KITCHEN SINK

Due to the extra dishes and food being consumed, food scraps are the primary source of blocked kitchen sink drains during the holiday season.

Installing a drain grate in the kitchen sink is the most simple and effective way to mitigate this issue and prevent blockages from happening.

3. DON’T FLUSH WET-WIPES DOWN THE TOILET

This includes makeup wipes, cleaning wipes, baby wipes or ANY type of wet-wipe for that matter * yes, even the brands that claim to be flushable * Unlike toilet paper which dissolves quickly, wet-wipes can take extended periods of time, even years, to break down. Flushing wet-wipes is a surefire way to clog up the toilet this holiday season.

4. ALWAYS HAVE A BIN NEXT TO THE TOILET

Make it easy for your guests to dispose of wipes and personal care products in the correct manner. If there is no bin in the bathroom there is an increased likelihood that someone will flush something that shouldn’t be flushed out of convenience or to prevent the embarrassment of bringing disposables outside of the toilet with them. Feel free to write a friendly reminder and stick it to the toilet door asking guests to place personal care items in the bin.