Clogged Laundry Room Drains

As your washing machine agitates, loose fibers come off your clothes and get rinsed down the drain. Plus, think of all the gum wrappers and receipts you remove from pockets before washing the family’s clothes. Now imagine how many pieces of trash were not found before someone tossed their jeans in the wash. All those bits and pieces can accumulate inside drainpipes and create clogs.

A laundry hose strainer will help prevent your washing machine drain from clogging up. You can get one at any hardware store; they’re affordable and easy to install, and they will help prevent future clogs in your drainpipe.

The first thing to know is that not every home has a laundry room floor drain. Some building codes do not require them, and older homes almost never have one. That being said, a second-floor laundry room should always have a floor drain. If your upstairs washing machine’s main drain clogs up, a second-floor flood can double the extent of your property damage.

If you need to have a laundry room floor drain installed, the experts at Mr. Rooter® Plumbing can get it done for you.

You may use your utility sink for pre-soaking fabrics or washing out the filthiest items in your home. Just like every other drain in your house, your laundry room sink is susceptible to clogging from debris. Because your utility sink handles heavy-duty jobs, it’s a good idea to put a screen in the drain to prevent large bits of debris from washing down the pipe and creating clogs.

On the other hand, some people rarely use their utility sinks. If that sounds more like you, remember to run some water down that drain once a week. When the water in the sink’s P-trap evaporates, it can allow sewer gases to waft up the pipe. If you don’t want your laundry room to smell like an outhouse, running the faucet for 15 seconds each week will prevent foul fumes from invading your house.