Everyone has most likely at one time or another had to deal with a clogged drain. These messy nuisances can sometimes be an easy fix, but stubborn clogs require professional drain cleaning by a good plumber. The best way to avoid these aggravating and sometimes expensive clogs is to use some prevention measures to keep them from happening in the first place. 

Watch What Goes Down The Drain

The most common reason drains get clogged is from food, grease, hair and other particles that are allowed to go down the drain. Even small particles can get caught within the pipes and start attracting more and more debris until they clog the drain completely.

• Food. Make sure to scrape as much food off plates as possible into the garbage. When rinsing them, put in the drain strainer to catch any excess food that comes off and empty the strainer into the garbage.
  
• Grease. Never dump grease from a pan into the sink. Dispose of as much grease out of a pan as possible first, then, wipe it out with a paper towel. If possible, run the water until hot, put a small amount into the pan to rinse any greasy residue and dump the water outside.
  
• Soap and hair. Bathroom drains are often clogged by small pieces of soap and hair that get into the pipes. Throw away soap once the bar gets too small and clean hair from outside of the drain after each bath or shower. 

By just keeping as many of these particles out of your plumbing as possible, you can prevent most drain clogs from ever happening. Make sure everyone in your household is watching what they allow to go down the drain and you wont have to deal with clogs as often.