Almost every clog we clear was preventable. A few easy habits keep grease, hair, and debris out of your pipes and save you the backups and bills. Here is the plan.
Written bySteven Lockhart·Reviewed byMiguel Lopez, Owner & Licensed Plumber (CSLB #974600)·Last reviewedJune 2026 · 4 min read
Quick Answer
To prevent clogged drains, keep the two biggest culprits out of your pipes — grease in the kitchen and hair in the bathroom — use strainers, flush only waste and toilet paper, and rinse drains with hot water. For older or tree-lined homes, a periodic camera inspection catches roots before they block the line. This is part of our complete guide to drain cleaning in West Los Angeles.
Knowing how to prevent clogged drains is mostly about what you keep out of them. Two things cause the majority of household clogs: grease that congeals in the kitchen line and hair bound with soap in the bathroom. Stop those at the source and add a couple of simple habits, and you avoid most backups entirely. This guide is part of our complete resource on drain cleaning in West Los Angeles.
Drain clog prevention is the routine of keeping grease, hair, and non-flushable debris out of the drains and periodically maintaining the line so blockages do not form.
Follow these drain maintenance tips and you will avoid drain clogs before they start.
Never pour fats, oils, or grease down the drain — let them cool and trash them. Scrape plates before rinsing and use a sink strainer.
Put a hair catcher in every shower and tub, clean it regularly, and keep hair and products out of the drain.
Flush only waste and toilet paper. No wipes (even “flushable”), cotton, or hygiene products.
Run hot water through kitchen and bathroom drains to keep soap and grease films from building.
Want this for your home? We assess your pipes and quote a flat rate.
Get a Free QuoteTo prevent drain backups and keep drains clear over the long term, pair good habits with attention to your specific home. If you have a garbage disposal, run plenty of cold water with it and avoid fibrous or starchy foods. If your home is older or has mature trees near the sewer line, a camera inspection every couple of years catches roots while they are small — far cheaper than an emergency backup. Skip the chemical drain cleaners; they damage pipes and do not address the cause.
A busy household has a kitchen drain that clogs a couple of times a year.
New Pro jets the line clean, then sets the family up with a grease-free routine, a sink strainer, and a weekly hot-water flush.
The kitchen clogs stop, and a simple set of habits keeps the drain clear without chemicals or repeat service calls.
The Bottom Line
Most clogs are preventable with a few habits: keep grease and hair out, use strainers, flush only waste and toilet paper, and rinse with hot water. Older or tree-lined homes benefit from a periodic inspection. Do this and you will rarely need us for a clog — call any time if you would like your drains checked. More on our drain cleaning page.
Keep grease and hair out of the pipes, use strainers in every drain, flush only waste and toilet paper, and rinse drains with hot water periodically. Those habits prevent the great majority of household clogs.
Fats, oils, and grease. They go down as a liquid and congeal as they cool, coating and narrowing the pipe until it clogs. Let grease cool and throw it in the trash instead of pouring it down the drain.
Yes — a simple hair catcher or sink strainer stops most of what causes clogs from ever entering the pipe. Clean them regularly and they are one of the most effective, cheapest prevention tools.
No. They are harsh, can damage pipes over time, and do not remove the underlying buildup. Mechanical cleaning when needed, plus good habits, is the safer and more effective approach.
For older homes or those with mature trees near the sewer line, a camera inspection every one to two years catches roots and buildup early, when a small cleaning prevents a major backup.
Prevention keeps clear drains clear. If drains are already slow, they likely need a proper cleaning first; after that, these habits keep them flowing. We can clear and then advise on a simple routine.
Written by the New Pro Plumbing content team and reviewed for technical accuracy by Miguel Lopez, owner and California-licensed plumber (CSLB #974600). Pipe lifespans are presented as typical ranges, not guarantees, and any pricing is confirmed in writing before work begins.
What's new: June 2026 — first publication.
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