Skip to main content

In this article

    5 Ways to help you maintain your drain health in the home

    21st January 2022

    You may have heard the phrase; prevention is better than a cure. The same phrase can also be used for your drainage system, a part of the house that is often overlooked before it becomes a problem. We depend on our drains every day and when they do go wrong, or you experience a blocked drain it can cause mayhem!

    Here are five simple ways to help you maintain your drains:

    Use a Drain Guard

    Most plugholes come with drain guards but it’s always good to install them to reduce the volume of waste that gets washed down your sink. They come in plastic or metal and they’re a small disc-style grate that sits on top of your plughole to collect waste which you can remove and empty into the waste bin. You can buy drain guards to cover most of your plug holes including kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks, bathtubs, and showers, which is one of the most important ones as loose hair can clog more quickly and cause your shower to overflow, so it’s worth emptying your shower grate frequently.

    Use Boiling Water

    Hot water helps with the breakdown of oils and can improve sluggish drains, it’s one of the simplest ways to maintain your drain health and is accessible to most of us. We recommend that once a week you boil your kettle or pan of water and give your kitchen drains a flush.

    Garbage Disposals

    If you have a garbage disposal installed in your kitchen it’s important to give it a regular clean. Plan on cleaning it once a month with a sturdy disposer brush. Another way to help keep your garbage disposal in good condition is to flush it out with cold water followed by half a lemon or lime to give it some added freshness.

    Washing Your Pets

    Most of us wash our pets in the bathtub and some even take them into the shower to save on having to chase them around the house when they’ve escaped the bath! Washing your pets can be a massive task, but it is harder on your drains than you think. Pet hair is quite oily so it can easily find its way through the plughole grate that we’ve recently installed. Another way to help collect pet hair is to place a facecloth or a tea towel over the plughole to catch your pet hair. You can then take the cloth outside and hang it to dry. 

    Let Cotswold Drainage do the Cleaning for You!

    Let us help you with your drains. An annual health check is it all takes to keep your drains health in tip top condition, this is the best way to keep your drainage system flowing free from debris. However, if you are faced with a problem and you are not sure how to move forwards then get in touch with our professional team and we will provide you with some sound advice. 

    We can also help in an emergency, we’re on call 24/7 365 to support you with burst pipes, blockages,  commercial properties and more.


    Get in touch

    Contact our friendly and professional team via form, phone or email for any drainage issues you may have.

    From blocked drains to septic tank repairs and replacements, we're here to help. We have over 25 years of experience and offer 24/7 emergency callouts.


    Cotswold drainage did a great job jetting our sewer pipe and putting in a new manhole cover. Adrian and Keith on site ,Sara and Chris in the office sorting it out for us were great.
    - Eddie Ayliffe
    Amazing service , quick call out and rectified a tricky blockage. 5 ⭐️. Recommended to others already. Thank you
    - Michelle
    Excellent service from start to finish
    - Ryan THOMAS
    We are unfortunately in a position, due to changes in the laws in recent years whereby our original Victorian septic system does not meet current regulations. We also have an issue where the pipe that drains the water from our current system runs under the road onto a neighbouring property. As you can imagine this has caused real issues. We cannot speak highly enough of Stuart and his colleagues at Cotswold Drainage. They have been fantastic, visiting site, talking us through various issues and generally holding our hand through a very stressful time. We are looking forward to having the new system installed in the Spring. Ann & Gerry Hanagarth
    - Gerry Hanagarth
    Cotswold Drainage are super efficient and extremely helpful.
    - Arabella Kiszely
    Fantastic service. Fast and efficient!
    - Andrew Seale
    Cotswold Drainage came out to clear a blocked drainage pipe in our shop and once again were quick to respond and professional throughout the duration of their work. These guys are our go-to when jobs are too big for the plumber. Very competitively priced too!
    - John Geoghegan
      Please let us know your name.
      Please let us know your email address.
      Invalid Input
      Invalid Input
      Please let us know your message.

      Related Articles

      How to Fix a Broken Drainpipe

      Why is it so important to service your drains?

      I’m not sure the blockage is on my property. How can I find out?