Clogs in the pipes that carry waste water away from your kitchen sink can be smelly and costly to fix. By following these tips when you cook and clean in the kitchen, you can reduce the risk of experiencing a blocked drain.

1. Keep Grease Out of the Drain

When cooking fat congeals in the pipes that serve your kitchen sink, the result can be a clog that stops water draining away. After you fry food, leave the cooking fat in the pan to cool and then throw it in the bin, rather than washing it down the sink.

2. Cook Low Fat Food

One way to reduce the amount of fat that enters your plumbing system is to cook lower fat recipes. Try using a cooking spray instead of oil, lard, or butter when frying food in a pan. You can also experiment with steaming, boiling, or grilling food instead of frying or roasting it.

3. Don't Peel Vegetables Over the Sink

Vegetable peelings that fall through the plughole and into the pipes can contribute to clogs, leading to your kitchen sink draining very slowly. When these scraps start to rot in the pipe, you will also notice a bad smell. Prevent vegetable peelings from contributing to a blockage by peeling vegetables over a plate or chopping board and then putting the peelings into the bin.

4. Compost Coffee Grounds

Wet coffee grounds have a gritty, sludgy texture. This substance combines with other materials, such as potato peelings, congealed fat, or hair, in the drain to form a clog that blocks the pipe. Keep used coffee grounds away from the sink. If possible, add them to your compost pile to add nutrients to the soil.

5. Cover the Drain

Using drain cover can dramatically reduce the amount of food scraps and other solid objects that fall into the drain. A drain cover is a small, removable plastic or metal mesh that fits over the drain. You can buy one from a local hardware or homeware store.

6. Rinse Pipes with Hot Water

No matter how much care you take when cooking and washing dishes, some amount of grease is sure to sneak its way into the pipes. You can reduce the harmful effects of this grease by running hot water down the drain after you use the kitchen sink. The hot water stops the fat from congealing and keeps it moving on its journey to the sewer.

If you're still having issues with your kitchen drains, contact a local plumber.