Oh, dear. You’re starting to see water sitting in the sink basin, slowly draining away when it should have quickly swished down the drain by now.

Shortly, it might even come to a standstill and your basin remains full of dirty water. You’ve got a blocked drain and now you’re in trouble.

How did it get this way? Maybe there is a habit you need to change to avoid blocked drains in the future. Check out these 3 ways your drains can get blocked to find out how to keep them clear.

1. Toiletries

Perhaps the number one way that toilets get clogged is that the people using them didn’t stick to just flushing number 1 and number 2 (and maybe a little toilet paper) like they are supposed to.

In the UK alone, an advanced country with a knowledgeable population, 2 billion sanitary products are flushed down toilets each year. It’s an environmental disaster because these products don’t break down the way many people think they do.

You can help Australia do her part in being more eco-conscious by not flushing anything down the toilet except toilet paper.

2. Food Waste and Grease

Neither one of these items can be friends with your drains. Always, ALWAYS scrape off all scraps of food into the garbage before rinsing off your plates in the sink. And use a drain trap in the sink to catch any little bits that might remain.

Even if you have a garbage disposal, you should avoid putting food down your drain. And never dump grease down your drain. It might be liquid now, but later on, it will solidify and help to create a disgusting, smelly blockage in your pipes.

3. Tree Roots

Sometimes even if you never put a single item down your drain that doesn’t belong there, drains can still get backed up. There are a few causes, but tree roots are a big one.

Wastewater pipes are full of nutrient-rich water that attracts hungry tree roots looking for a delicious snack. Over time, the roots can grow into the pipes, causing leaks, blockages and other problems for the homeowner.

How do you find out if this is your problem? You’ll have to call in the professionals. Special cameras are used by plumbers to inspect blocked drains to figure out what is blocking the pipe and the best plan of attack to clear it out.

Keep it Clear

Avoid putting anything down your drain that doesn’t belong there. That includes hair, dirt, kitty litter, and other seemingly small and harmless pieces of debris. If you know where your pipes are buried, avoid planting trees and large plants or bushes near the lines. This will help avoid a root invasion that won’t end well.