How do you prevent plumbing clogs while saving energy and water?
I am trying to do my part to save water and energy by using cold water whenever I can for laundry, washing dishes and hands, etc. I also try to prevent wasting water by not letting the sink and bathtub run, and have installed a tankless water heater for near instant hot water. The problem is that my plumbing frequently backs up due to buildup of soap/shampoo/laundry detergent/dishwashing detergent. I’ve read that flushing the plumbing once a month with large volumes of hot water will help prevent/treat this problem, but that goes against my principles of trying to save energy and water. Does anyone have good ideas for preventing plumbing clogs from soap/detergent buildup, without wasting a lot of energy or water?
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don’t put lots of food down your garbage disposal. scrape the plates in the garbage instead or compost it. put a lint trap over the drain hose to your washer. also you can buy some enzymes that you mix with warm water and put into your drains that when you do it once a week will eat any residue in your pipes and then keep them clean.
Simple solution is to use bicarbonate and vinegar.
If you clean your toilet with vinegar and sprinkle bicarbonate of soda round the bowl instead of chemical detergents you will have fewer problems to start with.
To unblock sinks drains loos etc, pour vinegar into it then sprinkle on baking soda until you get loads and loads of fizzing. Once this has settled, flush or rinse with a small amount of boiling water. Do once a week, vinegar is anti bacterial and bicarbonate of soda deodorizes. If it is really backed up leave overnight then repeat.
If you clean with vinegar, salt and bicarbonate of soda, then you do not get as many blocked drains. Similarly if you use them for washing and softening clothes, there are fewer problems with washing machines, less mess and the clothes are much gentler on the skin and soft too.
I use vinegar instead of hair conditioner each time I shower, gets rid of any deposits on your hair and keeps the drains clean too.