Skip to main content
UrgentPlumbing & Drainage

Drain cleaning for slow, smelly or repeatedly blocked drains

If a drain has been slow for months, smells, or blocks every so often, clearing the latest blockage only buys time.

Cleaning a drain means removing the build-up along the pipe so it runs at its full width again. It's the difference between a quick fix and a drain you stop thinking about.

Talk to us about drain cleaning

Urgent problem?

Call 01223 482425

Not urgent, or want a quote?

Send an enquiry

Common problems

When drain cleaning makes sense.

These are the problems that come back after a simple unblocking.

  • Slow for weeks, not hours

    Sinks and showers that have been getting slower over time, rather than suddenly blocking.

  • Blockages every few months

    The same drain blocking again and again usually means something inside the pipe is catching debris.

  • Smells that come and go

    Particularly after heavy rain or when lots of water has gone down at once.

  • Kitchen grease

    Busy kitchens — at home or in a business — build up fat inside waste pipes faster than people expect.

  • Gullies full of silt and leaves

    Outside gullies and channels that fill up and overflow in heavy rain.

  • Gurgling after appliances empty

    Plugholes that gurgle when the washing machine or dishwasher drains.

Before we arrive

Simple habits that help.

None of these will clear an existing build-up, but they'll slow down the next one.

  1. Let cooking fat cool, then put it in the bin rather than down the sink.
  2. Only flush toilet paper. Wipes sold as 'flushable' don't break down the way paper does.
  3. Use a plughole strainer in showers and baths to catch hair.
  4. Clear leaves and debris from outside gullies and drain grates, especially in autumn.

How we help

What drain cleaning involves.

We look at how the water is moving at each access point to work out where the build-up is, then clean that run of pipe.

  • Clean the length of the pipe, not just the point where it blocks
  • Clear silt and debris from gullies and chambers we can get to
  • Run water through afterwards so you can see the difference
  • Tell you if anything suggests damage rather than build-up
  • Give practical advice on keeping that drain clear
A brick drain inspection chamber with its cover lifted, showing the channel at the bottom
Drain inspection chamber opened up

What happens next

What happens when you contact us.

  1. Step 1

    Tell us the history

    How long it's been slow, how often it blocks, and what's been tried so far.

  2. Step 2

    We look at the access points

    We lift covers and watch how the water moves, which shows us where the build-up is.

  3. Step 3

    You approve the clean

    We explain what we'd do and what it costs before we start.

  4. Step 4

    Cleaned and checked

    We clean the pipe, then run water through to check it's flowing properly.

Questions

Drain cleaning: common questions.

Something else you'd like to know? Call 01223 482425 or email us.

What's the difference between unblocking and cleaning a drain?

Unblocking makes enough of a hole for water to get through again. Cleaning removes the build-up from the walls of the pipe, so it runs at full width and is far less likely to block again soon.

How often should drains be cleaned?

Most household drains never need routine cleaning. If yours keeps blocking, or you run a kitchen that produces a lot of grease, regular cleaning can make sense. We'll be honest about whether it's worth it for you.

Do you clean drains for businesses?

Yes. Tell us about the property and how it's used, and we'll agree a time that causes the least disruption.

Can you tell if a drain is damaged?

Sometimes the signs are clear — repeat blockages in the same spot, soil or stones in the pipe, or sunken ground above it. If we suspect damage, we'll say so and explain the options rather than cleaning it and hoping for the best.

Related

Related services.

All services
  • Call if urgent

    Blocked drains

    Sinks, toilets, showers and outside drains that won't clear. We find the blockage, clear it and tell you what caused it.

  • Call if urgent

    Emergency plumbing

    Burst pipes, water through the ceiling, no water at all. Call and we'll help you make it safe, then sort the repair.

  • Leak repairs

    Dripping taps, running toilets, damp patches and pipes weeping under the sink. Traced back to the source and repaired.

Tell us about the job.

Call or send a callback request. We'll ask a few questions, explain what's involved and agree a price and a time with you.

Call 01223 482425

Not urgent? Send an enquiry and we'll get back to you.

Call 01223 482425Enquire