For most of the year, we think nothing of putting a little food down the trashdisposal. We flip the switch on, run the water a bit, and don’t give it a second thought about what we're doing. And for most of the year, we don’t have anything to actually worry about. The small amounts of food that get sent down the trash disposal under normal circumstances aren’t enough to cause any major problems.
But Thanksgiving is not just any normal day. On Thanksgiving, our stoves and ovens are working overtime to make enormous amounts of food, and many of the food scraps and leftovers often end up down the trash disposal.
It’s not hard to take care of your trash disposal and keep it from becoming a Thanksgiving catastrophe, if you keep in mind which foods don’t belong down the drain.
Starchy foods are not our friend. Starchy foods are sticky and gooey, and they don’t chop up easily and rinse away nicely. Think of how potato peels stick to the sides of the sink. That’s what they’re doing to the pipes under the trashdisposal too. If you attempt to grind away potatoes, cooked carrots, pasta, artichokes, or any other sticky, starchy food, you’re likely to end up with a big clog. Send the starches to the trash or the compost.
Fat is also a major enemy. Fat and oil flow so nicely when it’s hot, but don’t be deceived: they’re terrible for your trash disposal and pipes. Many people think nothing of pouring all the fat from the turkey pan down the drain. The second that fat touches cool water, or even touches a part of the pipe that is cool, it hardens. It might take a little while for enough fat to build up inside a pipe to clog it, but it will happen if you send fat down the drain often.
Give your trashdisposal time to recover. Don’t try to get rid of all the leftovers at once. Just put a little bit of food down the disposal at a time, and flush it with plenty of water.
Your trashdisposal isn’t a trash can. Most of your food waste should be going to the trash or to compost, especially on holiday like Thanksgiving where we make tons of food and inevitably have large amounts of scraps to dispose of.
About Benicia Plumbing
At Benicia Plumbing, Inc., we’ve been serving our clients since 1975 and always looking to utilize the latest technology in today’s plumbing world. By providing complete plumbing services to businesses, industry, homebuilders and homeowners throughout the northern California Bay Area, we’ve been able to stay at the forefront of this industry and succeed at a high level.
Have a Great Thanksgiving from All of Us at Benicia Plumbing!
Sources: AOL and YouTube
