How often should drains be cleaned? Here's the short answer
How often should drains be cleaned in your home? Learn the recommended schedule for kitchen sinks, bathroom drains, and your main sewer line.
By Main Plumbing Services · · 4 min read
As a rule of thumb, your kitchen drain needs attention monthly, bathroom drains every three to four months, and outdoor drains twice a year. For your main sewer line, an inspection every 5 to 10 years is a good idea.
That’s the short answer (probably less than you think).
You’re likely here because a sink is draining a little slower than it used to, or maybe you’ve had a backup. Here’s a more detailed look at what we recommend.
A basic drain cleaning schedule by type
Different drains collect different kinds of gunk, so they need cleaning on different schedules.
I’d suggest cleaning your kitchen sink drain about once a month. It deals with a constant stream of grease, fats, oils, and food particles that love to stick to pipe walls.
Bathroom sink and tub drains can go a bit longer, maybe every three or four months. The main culprit here is usually hair and soap scum.
In my experience, if you have anyone with long hair in the house, you’ll probably need to clean these drains more often. When you do, make sure you get every bit of hair out. Any strands left behind will just start the next clog almost immediately.
For outdoor drains, like those on your patio or in your driveway, clearing them of leaves and debris at least twice a year is usually enough.
And what about the main sewer lateral that connects your house to the city sewer?
Some public utility districts suggest having it inspected when you buy a home, and then every 5 to 10 years after that. You don’t need to clean it on a rigid schedule. You just inspect it to see if it needs any work.
Why you might need to clean your drains more often
I’ve got good news and bad news for you: the schedule above is a great baseline, but a local factor can speed things up.
In our part of Florida, the water from the Biscayne Aquifer runs hard.
It’s well above both the Florida and the national averages for mineral content. That means every time you run the tap, you’re leaving tiny mineral deposits behind.
Those deposits build up into a hard scale inside your pipes, narrowing the passage and making clogs more likely.
Because of our hard water, you may find you need to stick to the more frequent end of those cleaning schedules, or even shorten them a bit.
What to do if your drains are already slow
If you haven’t been on a regular cleaning schedule, you might already be seeing the signs. Frequent clogs, gurgling sounds, or multiple drains backing up at once are common calls we get.
A simple hot water flush can sometimes help with minor buildup. Something is better than nothing!
You may be tempted to reach for a bottle of drain cleaner, but it’s important to know there are two main types.
Chemical cleaners use a strong reaction to dissolve an existing clog quickly. Enzyme cleaners, on the other hand, use bacteria to slowly eat away at organic waste like grease and hair. They are much better for monthly maintenance than for clearing an active blockage.
If you have slow drains throughout the house or a clog that keeps coming back, it often points to a bigger problem in your main line.
At that point, store-bought products won’t cut it.
For clogs that just can’t wait, give us a call at Main Plumbing Services. We offer 24/7 emergency service. An inspection with our sewer camera will show you exactly what’s going on in the pipe, and we can give you a clear quote for any drain cleaning or repairs you might need.
