Fewer items in a business environment will need more quick attention than a clogged drain. Whether it is located in a restaurant kitchen or a public restroom area, a clogged sink drain is disgusting and gives customers the impression that the business is dirty.
It also makes people wonder if the business tries to save money by cutting corners and if it is cutting corners in this area, where else is it cutting corners – employee hygiene, food preparation, product quality?
Even if the drain plug isn’t in a high traffic customer area, it can bring down employee morale and become the foundation for a much larger problem. It’s always best to take care of any plugged drain promptly. It isn’t likely to be a pretty process, but it is definitely a necessary one.
Many plugged drains can be easily taken care of if they are tended to quickly. This isn’t always easy to do, but proves the point that regular bathroom checks are needed to keep on top of any potential maintenance issues.
Sometimes customers clog a drain intentionally as a prank, to create havoc or see how long it takes to get a response from management. These situations can be devastating because not only to they create a huge mess, there may also be potential legal implications if another customer slips and falls in some water dripping on the floor because of a clogged drain, for example.
On the bright side, if the problem is discovered quickly, these situations are typically pretty easy to solve because likely a piece of cloth or some other material has been jammed into the top of the drain to cause it to overflow.
It is obviously tougher to unplug a drain if you can’t see the problem. Clogged hair or grease is a likely culprit deep into the pipe where it can’t be viewed with the naked eye. In these situations, it’s always helpful to have a few simple products on hand to help. Stock a supply closet with basic materials such as vinegar, baking soda, a sink plunger, a drain snake and for tougher drain clogs that just can’t be left to chance, a high quality, professional drain product like Drain-A-Go Drain Opener.
First, here are a few handy tips to remember when unplugging clogged drains:
- Start with the simplest solution first. Peer down the drain or insert a drain snake to see if the problem can be easily identified. Scoop out any material at the top of the drain that you can easily reach.
- Go with a tried-and-true solution like running hot water through the pipe for a few minutes to see if the clog can be dissolved on its own. Of course, if the water starts backing up, halt the process immediately and move on to another solution.
- Use a sink plunger, which is a smaller plunger that hasn’t touched the nasty depths of a toilet, to suction the clog out.
- Try a natural remedy, such as a solution of the reliable cleaning stand-bys vinegar and baking soda. The bubbling action followed by a flush of hot water might do the trick, but be careful not to pour too much baking soda in or you might enhance the problem.
- Do not overuse any type of cleaner, because excessive use may impact the pipes themselves.
- If all else fails, call in a professional. Sometimes a drain clog is so deep into the pipe or so compact that it can be difficult for anyone but a professional to remove it.
Whatever the case may be, do not simply ignore a clogged drain. Deal with it swiftly so you can move on to other aspects of managing your business.
