Honestly, I’ve seen folks pour every product under the sun down their drains, and it’s wild how many end up calling for help anyway. I get the appeal of those foaming cleaners—they look satisfying, but they’re mostly just surface-level. Enzyme stuff is a bit better if you’re patient, but like you said, nothing really undoes the damage from grease once it’s in there.
I’ll back you up on boiling water flushes. Did a job last month where the only thing that worked was a kettle of hot water and a plunger—no fancy chemical did squat. One thing I’ve noticed, though, is that some people don’t use strainers at all. Drives me nuts. Even the cheapest mesh strainer can save a ton of headaches.
Honestly, if your partner keeps pouring grease down there, maybe try keeping an empty can or jar by the stove for leftovers? It’s not glamorous, but it beats snaking out a drain at midnight... Learned that one the hard way.
Strainers are underrated, seriously. I’ve lost count of how many calls could’ve been avoided if folks had just tossed one in the sink. Last winter, I got called out because someone tried to clear a slow drain with a bottle of that gel stuff, but all it did was gum up everything behind a wad of rice and carrot peels. Ended up pulling out a glob of food waste that looked like a science experiment gone wrong.
I’m with you on boiling water—works way better than people think, especially if you do it every week or two. And yeah, the grease thing... it’s always the grease. I tell people to scrape pans into a coffee can, but you’d be surprised how many don’t want to deal with the mess. It’s not glamorous, but neither is pulling apart a trap at 2am when someone’s kitchen smells like a fryer.
Honestly, most of these backups are just habits. Catch the solids, keep the grease out, and you’ll barely need anything else.
It’s wild how much trouble a little thing like a strainer can save. I switched to one of those fine mesh types a couple years back and it’s been a total game changer—barely any scraps get through anymore, even the tiny bits of onion or rice. I know some folks find them annoying to clean, but honestly, it’s way less hassle than dealing with a slow drain.
On the grease front, I do wish more people realized what a nightmare it is for plumbing. I started keeping an old glass jar under the sink just for bacon fat and pan drippings. It’s not the prettiest kitchen accessory, but it works. Grease just doesn’t belong in the pipes, no matter how hot the water is.
I’m not totally sold on boiling water for every clog, though. It helps for soap scum and minor buildup, but once there’s a big glob of food or fat in there, it’s usually too late. Prevention’s where it’s at. A strainer, a jar for grease, maybe a monthly flush with baking soda and vinegar... that’s my whole system.
STRAINERS ARE UNDERRATED, BUT WHAT ABOUT GARBAGE DISPOSALS?
I switched to one of those fine mesh types a couple years back and it’s been a total game changer—barely any scraps get through anymore, even the tiny bits of onion or rice.
Couldn’t agree more about the strainer. I’ve seen so many kitchen disasters that could’ve been avoided with a $5 mesh strainer. People always think their garbage disposal can handle anything, but honestly, those things are more like a last line of defense than a magic fix. They’re not meant for grease or fibrous stuff (celery, potato peels, etc.), and they definitely don’t like rice or pasta. That stuff swells up and turns into cement in the pipes.
The glass jar for grease is classic. I’ve got an old coffee can under my sink for the same reason. It’s not winning any design awards, but it beats calling me at 2am because the kitchen sink’s backed up and smells like a fryer.
About boiling water—yeah, it’s not a miracle cure. If there’s already a fatberg forming, hot water just melts the outer layer and pushes it further down. Sometimes it makes things worse if the clog’s deep in the line. I’m with you on prevention being the real MVP. Baking soda and vinegar is decent for keeping things fresh, but it won’t bust through a serious clog.
Curious if anyone’s tried those enzyme drain cleaners? I’ve heard mixed reviews. Some folks swear by them for breaking down organic gunk, others say it’s snake oil. I haven’t seen them work miracles in emergency calls, but maybe they help if you use them regularly before things get bad.
Also, has anyone had luck with those little drain snakes you can buy at the hardware store? I keep one in my truck for quick jobs, but I wonder if they’re worth it for regular folks or just end up collecting dust in the drawer.
- Mesh strainers are a must. I switched after a friend’s compost bin started smelling like a swamp—turns out, all those tiny food bits add up fast. Now I just dump the strainer into my compost pail and barely anything gets past.
- Garbage disposals make me nervous, honestly. I get that they’re convenient, but I’ve read too many horror stories about them jamming or leaking. Plus, I’m not wild about sending food scraps down the drain when they could be composted.
- Grease jar under the sink here too. It’s an old pasta sauce jar and it’s not pretty, but it keeps the pipes happy. I tried pouring hot water down after cooking bacon once and regretted it—just made a greasy mess further down.
- Tried enzyme cleaners last year (Earthworm brand). They seemed to help with slow drains, but didn’t do much for a real clog. Maybe they’re more of a maintenance thing? Not sure if they’re worth the price.
- Those little plastic drain snakes actually work for hair clogs in the bathroom. For kitchen stuff, I haven’t had much luck—they just get gunked up and don’t grab much.
- Prevention > cure, every time. Less drama, less waste, less plumber bills...
