There is no single answer, because it depends on how the drain is used and its condition. A well-laid drain serving a small household may go years without needing attention. A drain serving a busy restaurant kitchen may need cleaning every few months.
Typical homes
Most households do not need their drains cleaned on a fixed schedule. It makes more sense to act on the warning signs below, and to keep grease, wipes and food waste out of the drains in the first place. See how to prevent blocked drains.
Consider a clean and camera check if:
- the drain has blocked more than once;
- there are large trees near the drain run;
- the house is older and the drains have never been looked at;
- you are buying the property. See drain surveys before buying a house.
Rental and multi-occupancy properties
Houses in multiple occupation, flats and student lets tend to see heavier use and less care about what goes down the drain. Landlords and managing agents often find a periodic clean and check cheaper than repeated emergency call-outs. See blocked drains in rented properties.
Commercial kitchens
Restaurants, cafés, pubs and takeaways usually need the most frequent attention because of grease. How often depends on the volume of cooking, the equipment in place and how well grease is managed. See grease in commercial kitchen drains.
Other businesses
Offices, shops, schools and care homes often benefit from checks on washroom drains and surface water gullies, particularly before autumn when leaves wash in.
Signs a drain needs attention now
- Water draining slowly from sinks, baths or showers
- Gurgling from plugholes or toilets
- Smells from drains inside or outside
- Water rising in an inspection chamber or gully
- A toilet that rises before it empties
How the interval should be set
The best approach is to clean the drain, look at it with a camera, and then decide. If grease or silt builds up quickly, the next visit comes sooner. If the drain stays clean, the interval can be longer. Reviewing it after each visit keeps costs in proportion to what the drain actually needs.
What a cleaning visit involves
Usually high-pressure drain jetting to scour the pipe walls, cleaning of gullies and chambers, and where useful a camera inspection to check known problem areas.
Find out more about drain maintenance and drain cleaning.