If your drain is starting to empty a bit slower than normal, that is one of the most common signs that it may be time to have professional drain cleaning services performed. Drain cleaning involves inserting a hose or tube through your drain and into your outgoing sewer line. Once the hose is in place, it is turned on and a steady stream of pressurized water is released. This stream of pressurized water is designed to break apart clogs caused by hair or food particles while also removing grease and soap residue. However, this is not all that drain cleaning can remove. Here are three lesser-known items that can be removed with professional drain cleaning. 

Mineral Deposits

One of the items that professional drain cleaning can remove is mineral deposits. If you live in a city or county that has hard water, the minerals found in the hard water can actually begin to build up on your pipes. These minerals can harden in the pipes the same way they do around your faucets or shower heads. Over time, this can cause the pipes to slowly narrow. Drain cleaning uses pressurized water to cut through and remove the mineral deposits. 

Tree Roots

Another item that can clog your drains is tree roots. Trees that are planted too close to your sewer lines can have their root systems begin to grow through the pipes. The root systems are not as hard as many people would think, because they are softened by the water that flows past them daily. Drain cleaning services can often use pressurized water to cut through the roots and remove them. However, unless the tree is moved, the roots will likely grow back into the pipe again. 

Toys Your Child Sent Down the Drain

The last item that can often be removed with professional drain cleaning is an item that should not have been sent down the drain, such as a toy your child flushed. As long as the pipe is wide enough to accommodate the item, the pressure from the drain cleaning hose can help push toys or other unwanted items out of pipes. 

The most common items that can cause blockages in your drain include grease, soap residue, leftover food particles, fruit and vegetable peels and hair. However, these are not the only items that can clog your drains and pipes. Mineral deposits, tree roots and even toys can lead to clogs in your drain. If your drain is clogged, contact a drain cleaning service today to schedule an appointment to have your drains cleaned and get water flowing through your pipes again.