How to stop those annoying blockages taking place!

The water is taking longer to drain away, there's a strange gurgling coming from the pipes and nasty stench is starting emanate from the sink. Sounds a lot like a blocked drain! Thankfully, there are a few simple steps you can take to avoid experiencing this most irritating of phenomena.

The Kitchen Sink 🚰

The easiest way to stop your sink blocking up is be very careful about what goes down the plughole. Do not dispose of any of the following items down the drain or allow to accumulate in the plug hole:

• Oil
• Grease
• Food (even very small items like lentils or rice)

All of these things can gather in the pipe below the sink and congeal so please be very careful when you're washing up.

Top Tip: As a precaution you may wish to occasionally pour a kettle full of boiling water down the kitchen drain to clear any potential blockages.

The Bathroom/Ensuite Wash Hand Basin 🚰

As with the kitchen, you'll want to be very careful about what goes into the bathroom wash basin. In the bathroom, substances that can lead to blockages include soap residue, hair, toothpaste, waxes and oils.

Regular cleaning and rinsing can help avoid anything untoward occurring.

The Shower Drain 🚿

By far, the most common cause of blocked shower drains is hair so, if you're particularly hirsute, be sure to remove any excess hair from the plughole after you've finished showering.  

It's also important to avoid dropping any foreign objects, such as hair grips, down drain as these will quickly collect  and cause a block.

The Toilet 🚽

When it comes to toilets, the only item that should go into the pan is toilet paper. Anything else should be disposed of in the bin. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Wet Wipes
• Sanitary Items (tampons, towels etc)
• Cotton Wool
• Cotton Buds
• Nappies
• Condoms
• Bandages
• Contact Lenses

It is also the case that using excessive amounts of toilet paper can also be a common factor in drains becoming blocked so ensure you are using just enough each time.

Reporting a blockage ‼️

If you do happen to notice that the water is slow to clear in your sink or your ensuite, please report it to your site team as quickly as possible. This will allow them to clear the drain properly before it becomes a major problem.

Please also be aware that you may occasionally experience cloudy water coming out of the tap. This is not due to a blockage but is down to the water being under pressure and it will clear when put in a container.

Looking for more information?

For more information on water, check out our UofGLiving Guide or see Scottish Water's Keep the water cycle running smoothly campaign booklet.