What Are the Most Common Causes of a Clogged Bathroom Drain?

A clogged bathroom drain risks the health of the septic system and costly long-term problems without professional intervention. A typical drain might withstand clogs from hair and soap scum, but other materials infiltrate the sewer system and wreak havoc on pipes and other components. Here is what you need to know from King’s Services, the most reliable drain cleaning professionals in Winnipeg.

Why Worry About Clear Drains or Pipe Systems?

Why does King’s Services emphasize the importance of clean, sanitary drainage systems in Winnipeg? Part of our concern is the many issues we come across for the area’s residents and business owners. 

Clogged drains present myriad risks. For example, a home or business that does not seek immediate repairs for a blocked drain or backed-up pipe might open themselves to:

• expensive pipe and fixture corrosion,
• flooding that could damage possessions and furniture,
• foul odours
• bacterial growth, and more

A plumbing system that is in excellent condition is better for everyone, including when it comes to the health of the residents or employees in the building.

Affordable Drain Cleaning Options with King’s Services

As a leader in drain cleaning, King’s Services ensure that even minor drain clogs from hair or grease do not become a bigger, more expensive problem. If it is a severe clog from a foreign object or a flooding emergency, our customer-centric professionals will ensure the highest quality service at a fair rate. 

We work quickly to ensure that your clogged bathroom drain disappears, and our customers appreciate our workmanship as a top-rated local company.

The Top Ten Causes of Bathroom Drain Clogs

What are the most common causes of a clogged bathroom drain? Below, our team runs through ten situations that may require a professional drain cleaning intervention.

1. Hair

Hair clumps easily, sticking to the sides of the drain and creating water blockages in the shower and sink. These fibres mix with soap scum and other substances, creating a sticky mass that accumulates unseen.

Preventing a hair clog is easy when installing a simple drain catcher. You could also remove the hair from the drain after every use. Alternatively, try a cup of baking soda with vinegar to dissolve the mass.

2. Soap Scum

Residue from soap scum forms when fat combines with minerals in the water. It creates a surprisingly hard residue that blocks pipes and prevents greasy, soapy water from draining out of the bath or shower. Hair and other materials also get stuck in this soap scum mass. 

A pressure cleaning from our professional plumbers will easily blast away the soap scum issues. We also advise switching to non-traditional or liquid soap to remove bar soap from the hygiene routine.

3. Toilet Paper

Aside from improper use, toilet paper is one of the most common reasons for a clogged bathroom drain system. Excessive amounts lump together and seem to occur more frequently with thicker toilet paper.

Resolutions include plunging the toilet or using a drain cleaner. You might also consider using less paper, thinner paper, or flushing multiple times after heavy use.

4. Tree Roots

Tree roots find and cause cracks in the septic system, which gives them access to mineral-rich septic water. It quickly blocks water and bursts pipes, with even the tiniest roots expanding rapidly throughout the pipe system.

Extreme cases require reconstruction and costly repairs, so immediate professional repairs are always a good idea.

5. Food

Food waste gathers primarily in kitchen drains, but bathrooms also catch the damage where the systems connect. Kitchens feature garbage disposals for an easy breakdown, but a clogged bathroom sink usually suffers from food waste sticking in soap scum and hair traps.

One solution is a compost system to reduce food waste in the drainage system. Even coffee grounds should never go down the bathroom drain. Solutions like snaking the drain with a wire coat hanger might clear the obstruction, but it is better to call our drain cleaning professionals to ensure all fatty food residue and grit clears effectively.

6. Oil and Fat

Grease and fat liquefy when hot but quickly solidify as they cool in the pipes. Running hot water down the drain does not reduce the blockage and only pushes the problem further into the plumbing system.

Drain cleaner is a practical solution to remove oil and fat, but alternative solutions include plunging and dissolving dish detergents, like the baking soda method for a clogged bathroom drain. Dumping fat into the compost bin also helps.

7. Hygiene Products

Feminine hygiene products, cotton balls, swabs, baby wipes, and other cotton products should never go down the toilet. Bulky, absorbent materials are too thick to pass through the pipes after soaking up water, and the problem worsens with leftover soap scum and mineral buildup along the way. 

Throw these cotton products in the trash, putting only human waste and toilet paper down the toilet. Clogs from foreign objects require professional assistance, and the work can take a while.

8. Cat Litter

Surprisingly, cat litter forms solid clay balls that cake in drains and stick to pipe walls. It is ultra-absorbent and completely blocks water from passing through.

If this has become an issue, pet owners will require multiple clog-removing techniques, including a strong drain cleaner. Toss cat litter in the trash; it is not worth the time and effort to unblock drains and replace entire sections of pipe.

9. Foreign Items

Small children may flush interesting items, including toys, goldfish, and tiny objects down the toilet or sink. It all accumulates in the plumbing system, along with soap residue, hair, and more, to create a serious drainage problem. 

Eliminating clogs from foreign objects requires our seasoned professionals to:

• locate the obstruction,
• dismantle piping, and
• remove the object without damaging the pipes.

10. Dirt Buildup

A bathroom drain can withstand much, but dirt can clump as badly as cat litter when it dries. If it blocks the water flow and grease and hair enter the scene, issues happen quickly. 

Our professionals always recommend wearing rubber gloves while working with these substances and washing hands off outside with a hose. It is a dirty job.

Do you want to learn what to do if your drain is clogged with dirt? The tips above should help. If not, call King’s Service at 204-815-5886 today for everything from resolving a clogged bathroom drain to portable sanitation options in Winnipeg.