The holidays are all about gathering around the table, enjoying home cooked meals, and celebrating togetherness, but all that cooking can take a toll on your kitchen plumbing. Between turkey prep, side dishes, and cleanup, your sink waste disposal works harder than ever during the holiday season. One wrong item down the drain can lead to clogs, backups, or even a complete plumbing failure right in the middle of the festivities. To keep your waste disposal running smoothly through the holidays, here’s a helpful guide on what not to put down the sink.
Turkey Bones
When clearing the holiday bird, toss bones straight into the garbage. Waste disposals aren’t designed to grind hard bones, and they can easily break or dull the blades, leading to costly repairs.
Gravy
It may pour like a liquid, but gravy becomes a thick, sticky mess once it cools. Fats and oils can solidify in your pipes, forming stubborn clogs that can be tough to clear.
Mashed Potatoes
Starchy foods like mashed potatoes expand when wet and can turn into a paste-like blockage in your drain. Always scrape them into the trash instead.
Fruit & Veggie Skins
Potato peels, carrot shavings, and apple skins may seem harmless, but they can wrap around your disposal blades, slowing or stopping them from spinning properly.
Fibrous Vegetables
Stringy veggies such as celery, corn husks, and onion skins can tangle in your disposal blades and cause drain issues down the line.
Eggshells
Though often mistaken as disposable-friendly, eggshells are not. The thin egg membrane can easily get caught in the blades, jamming the disposal.
Nuts
Nuts may be small, but when ground up, they can form a thick, sticky paste, much like peanut butter that clings to your pipes and restricts water flow.
Hard Pits & Fruit Cores
Waste disposals are for soft food only. Hard items like peach pits, avocado cores, and apple seeds can damage the blades or overheat the motor.
Coffee Grounds
A common plumbing myth is that coffee grounds eliminate odors, but in reality, they can actually clump together and clog pipes. Opt for composting instead for a safer and eco-friendly option.
Prevent Plumbing Issues This Holiday Season
By following these simple guidelines, you can help ensure your waste disposal runs efficiently throughout the holidays. If something does go wrong, our trusted team is here to get the job done right with our Emergency 24/7 Service. We take Action, you get peace of mind.