Manual snakes are my go-to too. I’ve got a whole collection at this point—different lengths, some with those little claw grabbers. Honestly, after years of dealing with tenants, I’ve seen everything from Barbie doll heads to entire sponges wedged in traps. Once found a fork in a bathroom sink. Still not sure how that happened.
I lean toward regular maintenance, but nothing too crazy. Every few months, I’ll run hot water and a bit of dish soap down the kitchen drains, and I check the traps maybe twice a year. Prevents those “emergency at 2am” calls, which I do not miss. That said, sometimes you just can’t predict what people will shove down there. I’ve tried enzyme stuff too—never seemed to do much except make the drain smell weird.
Guess it’s a mix for me: some preventative stuff, but mostly just being ready to tackle whatever comes up. Pipes are like junk drawers... you never know what you’ll find until you open them up.
Manual snakes are my go-to too.
I get the “pipes are like junk drawers” thing, but I’m not totally sold on just hot water and dish soap for maintenance. Here’s my take:
- Hot water helps, but grease still builds up over time—especially if tenants ignore the “no oil down the drain” rule.
- Enzyme stuff didn’t do much for me either, but I had better luck with a foaming drain cleaner every six months. Not the harsh chemical kind, just the foamy stuff that clings to the sides.
- I actually started putting mesh screens on all the sinks. Cuts down on weird objects (like that fork you mentioned) ending up in the trap.
Curious if anyone’s tried those mini cameras for pipes? I’m tempted, but not sure if it’s worth the hassle.
Mesh screens are a game changer, right? I put them in after fishing out a Lego head from the bathroom sink—still not sure how it got there. I hear you on the hot water and dish soap; it feels more like wishful thinking than real maintenance sometimes. Haven’t tried the mini cameras yet, but I’m tempted too. Part of me worries I’ll just find something horrifying and then have to deal with it... but maybe that’s better than a surprise flood.
Part of me worries I’ll just find something horrifying and then have to deal with it... but maybe that’s better than a surprise flood.
Honestly, the camera thing is both a blessing and a curse. You’d be amazed (or mildly traumatized) by what ends up down there—Lego heads are just the tip of the iceberg. Mesh screens are solid, though. I tell folks all the time: they’re cheap insurance against mystery clogs. Hot water and dish soap help a bit, but nothing beats keeping stuff out in the first place. If you do go for the camera, just brace yourself... sometimes ignorance really is bliss.
I’ll admit, I did the camera thing once and found a Barbie shoe, a petrified Cheerio, and something that looked suspiciously like an old gummy worm. Still not sure if I’m glad I know. Anyone ever tried those enzyme drain cleaners? Worth it, or just snake it and call it a day?