It's Not Always Hair Clogging the Drain: Here Are 3 Strange Reasons for Blocked Drains

When your drain is clogged, it can be frustrating and inconvenient. While it's commonly assumed that dirt, random debris, or hair is the reason for the clog, that's just not always the case. In some situations, there's a far more unusual (and strange) cause for the drain blockage. Here are 3 causes of blocked drains that you may have never thought about. 

Paint

Have you been working on any art projects lately? If you've used paint, whether it's watercolour, acrylic or oil, you probably cleaned the brushes in the basin. The cup of water that the brushes were soaked in was likely washed down the basin, as well. While you might think that the water dilutes the paint enough to render it harmless, that's not always the case.

Often, pain residue clings to the drain where you can't see it. Over time it will dry out and harden, causing a permanent drain issue. The simple way to avoid this is to be very cautious about rinsing any paint down the drain. If you absolutely must wash paint residue down the drain, make sure to run the hot water through the drain for a few minutes afterwards. 

Microbeads

Microbeads -- those tiny bead-like pieces found in shower gels and body washes -- can cause serious problems for your drains. They're also terrible for the environment. Australia is in the process of phasing microbead products out, but they're not yet illegal and can still be found in many places today. 

If you've used a product containing microbeads and can't discern any other reason for your clogged drains, chances are that the microbeads are causing some serious scaling in your pipes. This, in turn, means that water can't move through the pipes properly and drain becomes clogged. Avoiding microbead products is quite easy to do, and it might just save you a great deal in plumbing bills in future. 

Toys

Whilst we've all heard tales of children flushing toys down the toilet, you might not always think of toys as a reason for clogged drains. However, there are plenty of toy pieces that are so small that they can cause serious issues if washed down the drain. Think of the seemingly millions of plastic pieces that some toys are made of -- just one or two of those little pieces could block the drain before you know it. Of course, it's always best to prohibit playing with toys directly above any basin, but it's understandable that such things can be hard to enforce. You might consider a drain cover for the kitchen and bathrooms until you feel confident that this isn't a danger any longer. 

As you have learned, drain clogs sometimes occur for quite surprising reasons. When you're dealing with a clogged drain, contact your local plumber to get a clear drain fast. Following the suggestions above might even help you avoid a recurrence of the problem!