How to stop your kids blocking your drains

Last Updated on March 17, 2024

[AD] Kids have a real knack for creating chaos in unexpected places, and one of these places that not many of us think about until it happens is your home’s drainage system.

We’ve all been there, myself included, where we’ve caught our kids with their hands down the toilet giving their favourite toys a bath, or catching them in the act placing large items down the kitchen sink.

If you’d like to stop your kids from blocking your drains, here’s some information on how easily drains can be blocked, as well as some preventative measures you can take to teach your kids how not to block them.

What are your kids curious about?

Children are natural explorers, equipped with an insatiable curiosity that drives them to explore the world around them.

Sometimes this involves placing things where they don’t belong – including drains.

Flushing toys down toilets, pouring sand down bathroom sinks, or stuffing pebbles down outdoor drains might seem fun to young kids, but can lead to serious blockages within your drainage system if they continue to do it.

Understanding what your kids are curious about is the first step towards preventing drain blockages.

Bathroom challenges

Bathrooms can quickly become the site for potential drain blockages.

Bath time can become an exciting adventure with toys thrown down the drain if left unsupervised.

Kids also often use excessive toilet paper without realising it, which quickly clogs up the toilet.

Another drain blocking culprit is hair, which very quickly causes blocked drains.

It’s vital that kids understand what can and cannot go down drains in order to avoid these common bathroom challenges, and prevent them from happening.

The kitchen sink – a surprise culprit

When considering potential drain blockages in our homes, we often underestimate the kitchen sink as a potential kid blockage culprit.

Yet it should not be forgotten, because kids love helping out in the kitchen, which makes it a high-risk zone.

Kids can place small objects or food waste in the kitchen sink, causing significant blockages to form within your drainage system over time.

Therefore, extra caution must be exercised in the kitchen when supervising kids, teaching them proper waste disposal can go a long way toward keeping your kitchen sink free of blockages.

Preventive measures

Preventive measures are key for maintaining an unblocked drainage system in your home when you have kids.

Here are some preventative measures you can take to stop your kids blocking your drains:

• Begin by informing your kids on what items may or may not be flushed down toilets or placed down sinks
• Use drain strainers in your kitchen and bathroom sinks to catch food particles and hair
• Make sure bath toys can’t fit down the drain
• Inspect and clean your drains regularly to avoid minor blockages becoming major headaches

If your kids are old enough, include them in preventative measure activities, and use these educational opportunities as learning experiences.

Remember that your goal should not simply be fixing the current blockage, but instilling good habits in your kids that prevent further blockages from arising.

A blocked drains plumber can offer valuable tips and advice on maintaining a blockage-free drainage system in homes with kids.

Conclusion

Keeping your drains blockage free with kids is achievable, with constant vigilance, preventive measures, and paying extra attention to your home’s drainage system maintenance, you can ensure your home’s drains stay unblocked for many years to come.

How do you stop your kids from blocking your drains?