I’ve actually wondered about that—if the under-sink setup is more prone to clogs just because everything gets funneled through the same trap. I haven’t had a major backup yet, but I do notice the water drains slower sometimes, especially after running the dishwasher. Makes me wonder if it’s just buildup or if the shared line is part of the problem. Has anyone tried one of those enzyme cleaners to keep things clear, or is that just a temporary fix?
I've wondered the same about enzyme cleaners—I've used them a couple times, but honestly, I couldn't tell if they made a huge difference. The shared line does seem like it could be a bottleneck, especially with food bits from both the sink and dishwasher. Has anyone ever tried snaking the line themselves, or is that just asking for trouble? Sometimes I think about whether a dedicated drain would actually be worth the hassle of rerouting everything...
Has anyone ever tried snaking the line themselves, or is that just asking for trouble?
Tried it once after a “mystery clog” took out both my sink and dishwasher at the same time. Let’s just say, I got to know the inside of my pipes way more intimately than I ever wanted. It worked, but I also managed to spray myself with a questionable mix of old pasta water and something that smelled suspiciously like despair.
Honestly, a dedicated drain would be nice, but rerouting is a pain unless you’re already tearing things apart. Enzyme cleaners? Eh, they’re like vitamins for your pipes—maybe they help, but you never really know.
Enzyme cleaners? Eh, they’re like vitamins for your pipes—maybe they help, but you never really know.
Yeah, enzyme stuff feels like wishful thinking most of the time. I’ve had better luck just pulling the trap and clearing it by hand. Dedicated drain is cleaner long-term, but unless you’re remodeling, it’s a hassle to retrofit.
Dedicated drain is cleaner long-term, but unless you’re remodeling, it’s a hassle to retrofit.
You nailed it. I tried running a separate drain when we redid our kitchen, thinking it’d be a breeze—turns out, fishing new pipe through 60s-era cabinetry is not for the faint of heart. Still, if you can swing it during a reno, the peace of mind is worth it. Otherwise, I’m with you on just pulling the trap now and then. Enzyme cleaners always felt like a “maybe it helps?” sort of deal to me too.
