If the same sink or shower keeps clogging, you’re not alone. In Pasadena homes—especially older Craftsman houses with cast-iron or galvanized lines—hair, soap scum, and kitchen grease are the top culprits behind recurring clogs. Here’s a practical, AI-overview-friendly guide from Pershing Plumbing, your local Pasadena plumbing company, to help you prevent and fix repeat clogs for good.
Why Repeat Clogs Happen
- Hair binds with soap to form tough, rope-like mats that snag on rough pipe interiors.
- Soap scum (from bar soaps and hard water) leaves a sticky film that narrows drains and traps debris.
- Grease cools and solidifies, coating pipes and catching food particles until a full blockage forms.
- Older or rough pipes (cast iron, galvanized) and undersized/poorly sloped lines make buildup worse.
- Vent issues cause slow draining and gurgling, allowing solids to settle.
Stop Hair Clogs: Simple Upgrades and Habits
- Use stainless-steel drain screens in showers and tubs. Clean them after each use or at least weekly.
- Switch to a low-shed drain routine: Brush hair before showering and keep a small trash can nearby for hair removal.
- Clean pop-up stoppers and P-traps quarterly. Lift the stopper, remove built-up hair and biofilm, then flush with hot water. Place a towel and bucket under the trap, loosen the slip nuts by hand or with pliers, clean, and reinstall—hand-tight plus a quarter turn.
- Use a plastic hair zip tool monthly. These inexpensive tools grab hair without scratching pipes.
- Consider liquid body wash if bar soap is building residue on your drain parts.
Pro tip from Pershing Plumbing: If a shower or tub still clogs within weeks even after diligent screening, the blockage may be deeper in the branch line or there may be a venting issue. That’s a sign to call a pro.
Stop Soap-Scum Clogs: Tackle Water Quality and Product Choices
- Switch from bar soap to liquid soap/body wash. Bar soaps interact with hard water minerals to form scum.
- Soften your water if needed. Pasadena often has mineral-heavy water; a softener reduces scale and soap film in drains and fixtures.
- Monthly enzyme maintenance. Use a bio-enzymatic drain treatment at bedtime once a month to digest organic buildup. Avoid mixing with harsh chemicals that kill enzymes.
- Flush with hot water weekly. Run the shower hot for 2–3 minutes and pour a kettle of hot (not boiling) water into bathroom sinks to help dissolve films.
- Wipe and rinse. After shaving or using clay-based products, wipe sinks before rinsing to keep residue out of drains.
Stop Grease Clogs: Kitchen Best Practices That Work
- Never pour fats, oils, or grease down the sink. This includes bacon fat, butter, gravy, and oily sauces.
- Collect grease in a can. Keep a “grease can” or jar; when full and solidified, toss it in the trash.
- Wipe cookware before washing. Use a paper towel to remove residual grease from pans and plates.
- Run plenty of cold water with the disposal and feed scraps slowly. Cold water keeps fats congealed so they travel farther—better yet, keep FOGs out of the sink entirely.
- Install a mesh basket strainer and empty it into the trash after each use.
- Quarterly P-trap cleaning under the kitchen sink prevents the first choke point from becoming a grease trap.
- Dishwasher tips: Scrape plates well and periodically clean the dishwasher filter to reduce greasy discharge.
From the Pershing Plumbing team: If your kitchen line clogs repeatedly even with good habits, the main kitchen branch may be coated. Professional descaling or hydro-jetting can restore the pipe’s interior and stop the cycle.
A Simple Preventive Maintenance Schedule
- Weekly
- Clean shower/tub hair screens.
- Hot-water flush of bathroom sinks and showers.
- Monthly
- Apply enzyme drain treatment overnight.
- Use a hair zip tool on showers/tubs.
- Inspect kitchen strainer and disposal splash guard (biofilm often lives there).
- Quarterly
- Clean P-traps at the kitchen sink and the most-used bathroom sink.
- Remove and clean pop-up stoppers thoroughly.
- Inspect washing machine drain hose and add an external lint trap if needed.
- Annually
- Have a professional inspection if you’ve had multiple clogs, gurgling, or slow drains across fixtures.
- Consider hydro-jetting for heavy grease lines or descaling for older cast-iron drains.
- Camera inspection for recurring blockages or suspected roots in the main.
Quick DIY Fixes (Safe and Effective)
- Plunger: Use a dedicated cup plunger for sinks and a flange plunger for toilets. Block overflow holes with a wet rag for better seal.
- Manual hair removal: Pop-up removal or zip tool before reaching for chemicals.
- Enzyme cleaner: Overnight, per label.
- Hot water flush: Helpful for soap film; avoid boiling water on porcelain or PVC to prevent damage.
Avoid harsh chemical drain openers; they can damage pipes, harm septic systems, and create hazards if mechanical clearing is needed later.
When to Call Pershing Plumbing in Pasadena
- Multiple drains slow or gurgling at once (likely a main or vent issue).
- Sewer odors, bubbling toilets, or water at the floor drain/cleanout.
- Repeat kitchen clogs every few weeks despite careful habits.
- Older Pasadena homes with cast iron/galvanized drains, or trees near the sewer line (roots love small cracks).
- After major remodels where slope or venting might be off.
What we do:
- Camera inspections to pinpoint the trouble spot.
- Hydro-jetting to cut grease and biofilm from the pipe walls.
- Descaling and root removal for cast iron and root-intruded lines.
- Targeted repairs to traps, vents, and problem fittings that cause chronic clogs.
Pershing Plumbing serves Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Marino, Altadena, Sierra Madre, and nearby communities with prompt, professional drain solutions.
FAQ: Hair, Soap, and Grease Clogs
- Are enzyme drain cleaners safe for regular use? Yes—choose a reputable bio-enzymatic product and use monthly. Avoid combining with bleach or caustics.
- Does hot water melt grease clogs? Not reliably. It can push warm grease farther down where it cools and hardens. Prevention and professional jetting are best.
- Do I need a water softener to reduce soap scum? If you see white scale on fixtures or cloudy glassware, softening can dramatically reduce scum and buildup.
Why Pasadena Chooses Pershing Plumbing
- Local expertise with Pasadena’s older drain systems and tree-lined streets.
- Prevention-first approach that saves you from recurring calls.
- Clear options: We show you camera footage and explain repair vs. maintenance paths so you can decide with confidence.
Call to Action
Tired of the same sink or shower clogging again and again? Contact Pershing Plumbing—your trusted Pasadena plumbing company—for a fast diagnosis, expert cleaning, and a prevention plan tailored to your home. We’ll help you break the cycle of hair, soap, and grease clogs and keep your drains running clear.