Between mashed potatoes for twelve, turkey prep, and everyone arriving with dishes to wash, your kitchen plumbing takes a serious beating on Turkey Day.
The stuff that shouldn’t go down your drain
Let’s start with the obvious culprit: grease and oil. When you’re cooking a big bird or making gravy, it’s tempting to just pour the leftover grease down the drain. Don’t do it. Even if you run hot water while you’re pouring, that grease is going to cool down somewhere in your pipes and solidify. Eventually, you’ll have a clog on your hands, and trust us, you don’t want to deal with that when you’ve got a house full of guests.
Potato peels are another big one. They might seem harmless, but when they get wet and churned up in your garbage disposal, they turn into this starchy, paste-like substance that loves to gum up your pipes. Same goes for pasta, rice, and bread. They expand when they get wet, and that’s not great news for your plumbing.
Fibrous vegetables like celery, asparagus, and the stringy parts of green beans? Those can wrap around your disposal blades and cause problems. And don’t even think about putting coffee grounds down there. A lot of people think they’re fine because they’re small, but they clump together and create sludge in your pipes.
How to actually use your garbage disposal
Here’s the thing about garbage disposals: they’re convenient, but they’re not miracle workers. They’re meant for small food scraps that accidentally fall down the drain while you’re rinsing dishes, not for disposing of your entire meal prep.
If you do need to use it during the holidays, run cold water before you turn it on, keep it running while the disposal is working, and let it keep running for about 15 seconds after you’re done. The cold water helps solidify any grease so it can get chopped up and washed away, instead of coating your pipes.
And for the love of everything, don’t overload it. Feed things in gradually, not all at once. If you’re scraping plates after dinner, it’s worth having a small trash can next to the sink so the big stuff doesn’t end up down the drain in the first place.
Smart ways to handle cooking waste
The easiest way to avoid plumbing problems is to keep the bad stuff out of your sink altogether. Keep a bowl or small trash bag near your prep area for vegetable scraps, peels, and other waste. When you’re dealing with grease or oil, let it cool down in a container, then toss it in the trash or save it in a jar for later use.
For turkey drippings, let them cool and scrape the solidified fat off the top before washing the roasting pan. Your pipes will thank you. And if you’re washing a ton of dishes, scrape them well before they hit the sink. Those little bits add up fast when you’re cooking for a crowd.
What to do if something goes wrong
Even with the best intentions, sometimes things happen. If your sink starts draining slowly, don’t panic. First, try running hot water for a bit to see if it clears on its own. If that doesn’t work, you can try a plunger. Make sure you’re using a flat-bottomed plunger (not the toilet kind), and give it several good plunges.
What you shouldn’t do is reach for chemical drain cleaners. Those things are harsh, they can damage your pipes, and honestly, they often don’t work that well anyway. If the plunger doesn’t do the trick, it’s time to call in a pro. We know it’s not ideal during the holidays, but a trained plumber can clear your drain quickly without risking damage to your plumbing system.
Get ahead of the game
If your kitchen sink has been draining a little slowly lately, or your garbage disposal sounds different than usual, don’t wait until Thanksgiving morning to deal with it. Those are warning signs that something’s building up in your pipes. A quick drain repair or pipe repair service call now can save you from a full-blown disaster when you’re trying to cook a feast.
Need help before the big day?
Look, we get it. You’ve got enough on your plate without worrying about whether your kitchen plumbing can handle Thanksgiving dinner. If you’re concerned about your garbage disposal, want someone to check your drains, or just need peace of mind before the holidays, we’re here to help.
Give us a call at 909-297-1914 or schedule service online. At Ballard Plumbing, Heating and Cooling, we’ve been helping San Bernardino families with their plumbing needs for years, and we’d be happy to make sure your kitchen is ready for whatever the holidays throw at it.
