A basement floor accumulates dirt over time. It is advisable to clean a basement floor drain to avoid bad smells in the basement. Fortunately, you can clean the drain with simple tools like a plunger and also products available at home to keep the drain clear.
Regular cleaning is a good idea so that you can prevent a lot of dirt from accumulating which makes the cleaning process even more difficult. You can do the cleaning on your own with the right skills and tools.
Signs of a dirty basement floor drain
Bad smells
If you start perceiving bad smells in your basement then it might be coming from your drain. When the drain stays dry for a long time it is prone to bad smells. Fortunately, you can solve the issue by cleaning it every few months. If you cannot be able to clean your drain you can also pour some vinegar into the rain. It is an effective short cut if you do not have time to follow the long cleaning procedure.
Water pooling on the drain
You do not have to wait until your drain is completely clogged to do some cleaning. If you notice that water is already pooling along the drain it is time to do some cleaning to avoid flooding. It means that water is flowing slowly in the drain because dirt has started accumulating.
You can do some cleaning or pour some hot water and see whether the problem improves. It is the best way to avoid a clogging mess that happens when you ignore the cleaning procedures.
Strange sounds when water is flowing
When you pour some water into the basement drain it should floor freely. You should hear a clear sound of water moving in the pipes or sometimes you might not hear any noises.
If you notice some gurgling noise when the water is flowing there might be some blockage somewhere in the pipes. You need to clean the drain to get rid of the blockage that is causing the sound.
How to clean a basement floor drain
What you need
- Rubber gloves
- Hot water
- Baking soda
- Snake drain plunger
- Waste bin
- Organic drain cleaner
Cleaning procedure
Open the basement drain
The first step is to open the basement drain. This will allow you to be able to reach down there and clean people. If you have a steel basement drain cover you might notice some rusting and this might make it difficult to clean.
The best way to open the drain cover is to start by scraping out all the rust in the basement. You can also apply some oil to reduce the friction so that you can open it without any issues. If you have a plastic drain cover then it should not be difficult for you to open it. In case your drain cover has started rusting you might want to replace it with a new one that will not rust.
Pour some hot water into the drain
Pouring some hot water into the drain can be very helpful. It will make the cleaning process easy because the water will dissolve most of the dirt.
The water that you use does not have to be boiling, you need to make sure that it is hot enough. It is the simplest way to reduce the cleaning job by making sure that you have dissolved most of the dirt using water.
Pour some baking soda on the drain
Some baking soda on the drain can also be helpful with cleaning the drain. It does the same job that hot water will do because it helps to clear out dirt.
If you can use baking soda and hot water at the same time then that will be good enough to clear almost everything from the drain. You need to give the baking soda some time to react before pouring water so that you can get the desired results.
Use a drain plunge snake
A drain snake is the best for cleaning a basement floor drain. The best thing with a drain plunge is that it can go to different parts of the drain for thorough cleaning.
Using a plunge can also help you to remove any blockage on the drain and it can help you to avoid using harsh cleaners on the drain. Anyone can use a drain snake plunge because it is very easy to use.
Use an organic drain cleaner
Using a drain cleaner is not always you use baking soda and hot water. However, if you would like to do some extra sanitizing in the garage drain, it is advisable to use an organic drain cleaner.
Stay away from drain cleaners that are made using harsh chemicals because they are likely to corrode your drain. If you are concerned about taking care of the environment then it would help to use an organic drain cleaner.
FAQ about basement floor drain cleaning
How often should you clean a basement floor drain?
Basement drains need to be cleaned at least once per year. This is a good way to make sure that everything is flowing well and to prevent the workload of having to do a lot of cleaning.
It is also possible to clean your basement drains after every season. Every time you do seasonal cleaning in the basement, this is also a good time to make sure that the drains are cleaned.
Is regular basement floor drain cleaning necessary?
Yes, it is necessary to clean a basement floor drain regularly. It will help you to avoid problems that can end up costly in the long run.
Cleaning your basement at least after every season will prevent clogging. We all know how a clogged drain can be frustrating and challenging to unclog.
Regular basement drain cleaning can also help you to avoid bad smells. Since the drain is used to pass dirty water, cleaning it regularly will help you to avoid any smells. It is also advisable to clean your drain so that you can avoid flooding in case of rainwater or plumbing accidents. A clean floor drain will allow the flow of water freely.
Will cleaning a basement floor drain cleaning help you get rid of the bad smell?
Smells from the garage floor can make the entire basement smell. It is advisable to clean a basement floor rid so that you can get rid of the smell. Using a good drain cleaner can help you to get rid of most of the smell in the drain.
Sometimes your garage drain might smell because it is too dry. Pouring some water on the drain can be helpful to get rid of the smell. You can also add some vinegar to the drain so that you can get deodorize the drain. Using vinegar is a safe way to absorb all the unwanted smells in the drain and also the basement.
When is the right time to clean a basement floor drain?
The right time to clean a basement floor grain is after cleaning your basement. It will help you to flush out the dirt that has gone through the drain from the basement. When you make it and habit to clean your drain regularly you will never have to deal with blockages. Blockages can be messy and it takes time and money to unclog your drain.s
