Everyone’s heard that dog is man’s best friend—but your family’s canine companion isn’t always a great friend to your home’s plumbing. If you have a dog, cat, or other furry friends in the family, save yourself frustration, as well as a potentially costly visit from Chicago plumbers, by following these five pet-proofing plumbing tips!

Five Important Plumbing Tips for Every Chicago Household With a Pet

1. Groom Pets Outside.

It may be tempting to hop in your tub whenever the dog needs a rinse, but this is a task that’s best done outdoors—especially if your pup has a penchant for rolling around in sticks, mud, and grass.

If it’s easier to suds-up your dog in an enclosed space like the bathroom, be sure to at least do one rinse outside. By doing so, you’ll leave the biggest clumps of debris outdoors rather than in your bath pipes.

2. Cover Exposed Plumbing.

Lots of pets—from large German Shepherds to adorable little bunnies—are known to chew through basically anything that crosses their path. A cloth toy may be okay to munch on, but your pipes definitely aren’t! Not only will chewed pipes potentially require a service call from local Chicago plumbers, but contaminants within older pipes could call for a visit to the vet as well.

3. Lock Away Cleaning Supplies.

If you’ve owned your pet for very long, you know that curious minds and restless paws can find their way just about anywhere in your home. Much like you would with a young child, you should make sure that all chemical cleaners remain inaccessible. Hundreds of animals are poisoned by household chemicals each year—and this is almost entirely preventable for your canine or feline friend.

4. Close the Toilet Lid.

Of all our bathroom plumbing tips, this may seem the most obvious, but it’s easy to forget if you haven’t built the habit. Be sure to keep your toilet bowl covered at all times to prevent your pet from drinking water that’s not only unsanitary but possibly full of cleaning agents and toxic chemicals.

5. Never Flush Cat Litter.

Some cat litter brands claim to be flushable, but it’s always safest not to. After all, kitty litter has been specifically designed to form hard clumps by soaking up all the surrounding liquid—which is the perfect recipe for a disastrous clog in your pipes!

Having a Pet-Related Plumbing Problem? Contact Our Chicago Plumbers Now

If you’re one of the roughly 85 million U.S. families who own a pet, you need to take extra plumbing precautions, both for the health of your furry friend and the structural integrity of your home. Even if you follow all the recommended plumbing tips, though, you may still find yourself facing a pet-related issue—which is where Four Seasons Plumbing and Sewer comes in. Our Chicago plumbers have been around since 1971, and we offer 24/7 service at no additional charge. Fill out our online form to request more information, or call us right away for emergency service at any time of day or night!