Thanksgiving produces more kitchen waste in one afternoon than most households generate in a week. Much of it looks harmless enough to rinse down the sink. That habit is one of the most common reasons we get service calls the Friday after the holiday.
Your garbage disposal handles small food scraps well. It does not handle everything. Knowing the difference can save you a backed-up sink, a jammed unit, and a plumber on the busiest travel weekend of the year.
Grease, Oil, & Fat
Grease is the biggest problem on the holiday table. Turkey drippings, bacon fat, gravy, and the oil left in roasting pans all look like liquid when they’re hot. Once they cool, they harden inside your pipes and cling to the walls. Over time, that buildup narrows the line and catches food particles that would otherwise pass through.
Pour cooled grease into a sealed container and throw it away. Wipe pans and plates with a paper towel before they go into the sink. Most grease clogs we see in November are preventable.
Starches That Swell & Stick
Rice, pasta, bread, and potatoes absorb water and expand. Mashed potatoes are especially troublesome because they turn into a paste that coats the inside of pipes. Stuffing is worse. It soaks up liquid and clumps together, and the clumps can lodge in the drain line.
Scrape these foods into the trash or a compost bin.
Fibrous Vegetables
Celery, corn husks, artichoke leaves, and onion skins wrap around the disposal blades. Asparagus and green bean ends work the same way. Stringy scraps can jam the motor, and the unit may hum without spinning until someone clears it by hand.
Bones, Pits, & Shells
Turkey bones and fruit pits are too hard for most disposals to grind properly. Bones can chip the blades. Peach, cherry, and avocado pits are especially rough on the unit and can get stuck in the drain. Nutshells, including pecan and walnut shells from holiday pies and snacks, fall into the same category.
Coffee Grounds & Eggshells
Coffee grounds seem harmless because they’re so fine, but they settle in the pipe. When they mix with grease, they form a dense sludge. Eggshells leave membranes that cling to pipe walls, and the powder can add to the buildup. A small amount won’t cause trouble, but a holiday-sized pile of either will.
Non-Food Items
Paper towels, napkins, foil, plastic wrap, and wipes do not break down in a disposal. Guests often toss them in without thinking, especially when the kitchen is busy. A quick note on the counter or a small trash bin next to the sink helps prevent this.
Using Your Disposal the Right Way
Run cold water before you turn on the disposal, while it runs, and for 15 to 30 seconds after. Cold water keeps any grease solid enough to move through the blades and down the line. Feed scraps in slowly rather than all at once.
Hot water melts grease and sends it farther down the pipe, where it cools and sticks. Use cold water even if the dishes are warm.
Signs Your Drain Needs Help
Slow drains, gurgling sounds, bad odors, or water backing up into a second sink all point to a developing clog. A disposal that hums but won’t spin usually has something stuck in the blades, so turn off the power before reaching in. Avoid repeated use of chemical drain cleaners. They can damage pipes and make later repairs more expensive.
If a problem doesn’t clear quickly, call a professional before it turns into a holiday emergency.
Contact D&D Plumbing if You Have Drain Issues
If your kitchen sink is slow or backing up, don’t wait for the holiday crowd to make it worse. D&D Plumbing has been serving Northern Nevada homes since 1978, and our technicians can clear the line and inspect the disposal. Contact us today if you need an inspection.
