Clogged drains aren't always the result of tree roots or large obstructions. There are some surprising things that can lead to major clogs in sinks and main drains.

1. Pet Fur

Pet fur can get into drains via any sink or bathtub your pet has access to, but floor drains may be the more commonly affected drain. This is because pet fur around floor drains tends to get swept into them whenever you clean. Most floor drains aren't equipped with a hair catcher like you would find in a sink or tub, so the hair washes into the drain and collects until it forms a blockage.

2. Flushable Wipes

The packaging may say flushable, but it is generally never a good idea to put any type of product other than toilet paper down the drains. These wipes contain synthetic materials, which means they don't break down in water like toilet paper. If one wipe gets hung up in a drain line, it will soon collect more wipes and debris until you have a large clog. Treat these wipes as disposable, not flushable.

3. Contact Lenses

Contact lenses are so small and thin, one wouldn't think they would actually pose an issue in a drain. Generally they won't, if you only occasionally rinse an old lens down the sink drain. The problem is daily disposable lenses. If you drop your dailies down the drain every evening, the soft lenses can stick to the sides of the drain pipe and may begin to accumulate. Other debris tends to stick to the accumulated lenses, which can cause clogs.

4. Soap Residue

Soap may clean your hands, but it doesn't clean your drains. The residue from soap can collect in drains. The sticky scum coats the drain pipe walls, which can then cause any other hair or debris that passes by to become stuck in the scum layer until a large clog builds up. Using hot water to rinse soap scum from pipes can reduce residue buildup, but you may still need to clean the pipe regularly.

5. Veggie Peels

For those with garbage disposals, it may seem perfectly acceptable to peel veggies over the sink and then let the disposal take care of the waste. Unfortunately, starchy vegetable peels can become a gummy paste in the drain after passing through the disposal. After too many peels, you will end up with a wad of debris blocking the drain.

Contact a drain cleaning service, such as LeadingEdge Plumbing & Rooter, Inc., if you are struggling with a clogged drain.

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