Definitely agree with checking further down the line first. I've seen this exact scenario more times than I can count—people keep pouring cleaners down the drain, thinking it's just grease or soap buildup, but there's usually something else going on deeper in the pipe.
A couple years back, I had a customer who kept having basement backups every few months. He'd tried every cleaner on the market, snaked it himself multiple times, and even rented one of those heavy-duty augers from the hardware store. Nothing worked long-term. When we finally ran a camera down there, turns out he had tree roots creeping into his main sewer line about 20 feet out from the house. The roots were catching debris and grease, causing repeated blockages.
Honestly, if you're seeing oily buildup repeatedly, that's usually a sign something's obstructing flow further down. Grease and oils naturally cling to any obstruction—roots, collapsed pipes, or even just rough spots in older cast iron lines. You can pour all the chemicals you want down there, but until you clear that underlying issue, it'll keep coming back.
I'd recommend getting someone to run a camera inspection if you haven't already. It's not super expensive these days and it'll save you a ton of headaches (and money) in the long run. If it is roots or debris buildup deeper in your line, hydro jetting is usually your best bet—it blasts everything clear and restores full flow capacity.
Just my two cents based on experience... better to tackle it properly now than deal with repeated backups later on.
"Honestly, if you're seeing oily buildup repeatedly, that's usually a sign something's obstructing flow further down."
Couldn't agree more with this. I spent months battling a similar issue—tried every DIY trick in the book, from baking soda and vinegar to renting snakes. Thought I was being clever saving money, but nope... turns out my pipes had partially collapsed about 15 feet out from the house. All those cleaners and snakes were just temporary band-aids.
Finally bit the bullet and got a camera inspection done (which wasn't as pricey as I'd feared). Seeing that crushed pipe on screen was oddly satisfying—at least I knew exactly what I was dealing with! Ended up replacing that section of pipe entirely, and haven't had a single backup since.
Moral of the story: sometimes you gotta stop fighting symptoms and find the root cause (pun totally intended). Good luck!
"Moral of the story: sometimes you gotta stop fighting symptoms and find the root cause (pun totally intended)."
Haha, nice pun. But do you think a camera inspection is always necessary right away? I'm dealing with something similar (first-time homeowner here, still learning the ropes...), and a plumber friend mentioned that sometimes buildup can just be from kitchen grease or soap residue. Could regular enzyme cleaners or hot water flushes help first before jumping to inspections and pipe replacements? Just wondering if there's a middle step between DIY and full-on pipe surgery.
