Why Do Urinals Back Up? (And How to Fix It Without a Plumber)

If you’ve ever dealt with a slow draining urinal or seen the dreaded “out of order” sign slapped on one, you know how frustrating urinal backups can be especially in high-traffic commercial bathrooms.

Why do urinals back up? The Answer is uric sale buildup

So, what causes this?

It’s not paper towels or vandalism. The #1 reason urinals clog is uric salt buildup  a hard, crystalized mess formed from the minerals in urine. Over time, that buildup turns into something we call peeconcrete and it completely blocks your urinal’s drain lines, especially in the P-trap.

What Is Uric Salt, and Why Is It a Problem?

Every time someone flushes a urinal, trace minerals in urine flow through the pipes. These minerals cling to the inside of the drain and start forming layers of hardened uric scale. In a busy restroom, this happens fast even with regular cleaning.

Eventually, you’re left with a urinal that’s not flushing properly, water sitting in the bowl, or worse a total backup.

Let’s be real: you have two choices when a urinal backs up:

  1. Call a plumber.
    Expect to spend $300–$500 per service call. And most of the time, they’re not snaking the line — they’re just using a chemical urinal drain cleaner and billing you like they’re doing surgery.

  2. Use what the pros use — at a fraction of the cost.
    Javelin Urinal Treatment is a professional-grade, chemical-based solution that breaks down uric salt buildup fast. No tools. No plumber. Just pour it in and let it work.

Prevent Urinal Clogs in Commercial Bathrooms

out of order urinal in a barIf you manage a facility, whether it’s a school, airport, stadium, restaurant, or office building, you already know one clogged urinal turns into complaints, downtime, and repair costs.

Javelin is designed specifically for commercial urinal maintenance. It’s not a generic drain cleaner. It’s formulated to dissolve uric salts at the source so your drains stay clear longer.

Stop the backups before they start.

Use Javelin monthly as a preventive urinal treatment or immediately when you notice slow draining or foul odors.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Wait for a Flood

Uric salt isn’t going away. You can stay ahead of it — or pay for it later.
If you’re searching for the best way to unclog a urinal, this is it.