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Many cleaning professionals, in their quest for a clean, healthy, and well-maintained facility, over-look what can be one of the most contaminated areas in any building—the floor drain.

Drains tend to give warning signals well before serious problems develop, but facility managers and facility service providers (FSPs) might not be aware of these forewarnings. Many times cleaners even ignore the fact that water is taking longer than usual to make its exit. The cleaning staff— in order to effectively do their job—needs to be aware of what causes drains to slow or malfunction and then take preventative maintenance steps to prevent and correct the problem. Over time, floor drains get dirty. Dirty mop water, filled with contaminants and debris, often gets poured down floor drains in restrooms, kitchens, and locker rooms. Additionally, toilets, sinks, and urinals may overflow, spewing a variety of contaminants down the drain. Ultimately, bacteria, germs, rust, corrosion, and other unwelcome pollutants and impurities develop in the drain’s piping.

Often, the first serious indication of a brewing drain problem is malodor. Eventually, if not cleaned and attended to, the odor will get worse and the drain will clog, requiring immediate—sometimes expensive—attention.

Facility managers should not think that these drain problems are a rarity. The American Rental Association says that drain-cleaning equipment, used to clean drains in the residential as well as commercial marketplaces, is one of the top five rental items in the equipment rental industry. And, big-box hardware stores report that drain-cleaning equipment is one of their most frequently rented items, again among residential and business customers.

Unclogging Drains
Often, FSPs are tempted to use powerful chemicals to unclog and clean drains, however in most cases these products should be avoided. Some chemical drain cleaners use extremely corrosive and potentially harmful ingredients to clean drains by eating through materials, such as hair, soap, and grease. Some ingredients commonly found in these drain cleaners include sulfuric acid and lye, which can cause skin irritation, serious burns, and even blindness.

The toxic vapors from some of these chemical drain cleaners can also cause injury and sometimes they react negatively with other chemicals and contaminants in the clogged drain. If a bad chemical reaction occurs, dangerous vapors and fumes will be emitted— harming indoor air quality, affecting human health, and further complicating a drain problem. Furthermore, toxic fumes in the air can be a serious situation for a facility since some of these vapors cannot be seen or smelled.

For seriously clogged drains, whether in a sink, toilet, urinal, or floor drain, a plumbing company should be brought in to unclog and clean the fixture. However, many stopped-up drains can be fixed without chemicals or calling in a plumber, saving facilities considerable sums of money. What is required to effectively do the job are the right tools and a little education.

Tools of the Trade
The first tool necessary is a plunger, which can quickly unclog most drains, including floor drains, sinks, tubs, and toilets. If the floor drain is clogged, make sure there is water on the floor and then start plunging; vigorously work the plunger up and down several times before pulling it off the drain opening.

Often used to unclog toilets and urinals for dislodging clogs farther down the drainpipe, a cable auger, also known as a plumber’s snake, might be required. A cable auger is a long, flexible steel cable wound around a spool that is fitted with a hand crank. Usually, cable augers are up to 100 feet long, a length that is usually necessary in a school or health care facility. Smaller cable auger models, about 25 feet in length, are also available.

Additionally, for even more serious clogs or ones that are far from the fixture, electric power augers are useful. These machines, which are essentially a large cable auger powered by an electric motor, are very effective at cutting through virtually any clog.

When using a manual or electric power auger, remove the drain cover and feed the cable into the drain. The auger will spin and rotate as it goes down the drainpipe. When you feel resistance, this may be the clog and root of the problem. At this point, feed the cable a bit further and then pull it out. Repeat the process until the drain is unclogged and water is freely flowing down the drain. Pour several gallons of hot water down the drain to flush and remove any remaining debris, then replace the drain cover.

As with any cleaning or maintenance task, the possibility of danger always exists. Although many do not realize the consequences, drain cleaning can deal with some of the most harmful known bacteria as well as some potentially hazardous equipment—obviously, personal protection is a must.

Safety First
Before any drain cleaning activity begins, there are several safety precautions that must be recognized. For instance, when using an electric power auger, as described earlier, the machine should have a ground fault interrupter. Ground fault interrupters are designed to protect users from electrical shock by interrupting electrical circuits when there is a difference in currents. If an electrical problem arises—like a cut in the power cord—this device will detect the current leakage and shut the machine down.

Leather gloves are an absolute necessity when operating a drain cleaner. These gloves protect the hands from possible cuts and scrapes. Cotton gloves, which are not recommended, can get caught in the coils of the cable, especially when it is spinning, and cause severe hand injury.

When unclogging a drain, the floor can tend to get slick since water will be spraying and overflowing. Shoes with soles that grip the floor help prevent slip and fall accidents. Goggles should be worn to protect the eyes from splatters and the room should be well-ventilated— gasses, vapors, and odors can be released in the process of unclogging a drain.

And, a key part of safety is good instruction and training. The manufacturers of drain cleaning equipment often produce instruction videos, which can be very helpful. If renting drain cleaning equipment, ask if training videos are available and make sure those in charge of unclogging the drain take the time to watch the video before undertaking the job.

Prevention
The best way to keep drains clean and clog-free is by taking preventive measures. At least once a month, pour a half cup of baking soda down drains and then flush with cold water. And, at the first sign of slow-draining water, try using a plunger to dislodge debris in the pipe and do so in a timely fashion.

Make sure the floor has a drain cover to prevent debris from falling in. When cleaning a floor, sweep or vacuum this cover thoroughly to remove as much debris as possible.

FSPs should pour dirty mop water down drains in janitorial closets and not floors because of all the contaminants found in the mop water. Additionally, some FSPs find using no-touch or spray-and-vac cleaning machines very helpful in maintaining clean, unclogged drains in floors as well as restroom fixtures, such as sinks, urinals, and toilets.

These machines utilize a spray gun that the user holds over the drain and pressure cleans by washing water down the drain. The pressure can thoroughly flush the drain, washing out debris and contaminates, and keep the drain clean, odor-free, healthy, and unblocked.

Drain cleaning can be safe and easy when the right tools are employed. Caution with safety and take advantage of any training that the manufacturer or local distributorship might offer. In this area of cleaning, preventative steps and timely action by knowing the warning signs are keys to free-flowing, effective drain systems.

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