The approaching holiday season signals an increase in the amount of food your family’s kitchen drain sees. While that may be good news for eaters, it can often lead to clogged drains. It is important to know what not to put down your drain so you can have an enjoyable holiday experience.
Foods to avoid putting in your drain:
- Bones: whether your family prefers to have turkey or ham for Thanksgiving, bones are one of the worst items you can place in your garbage disposal. The potential for damage to your drain and pipe system is high. Instead, toss those bones in the garbage can.
- Grease and oil: turkey tends to leave a considerable amount of oil leftover. It might seem like a good idea to simply toss it in the kitchen sink and forget about it, but grease has the possibility of setting in your pipes, leading to clogging. A better idea is to transfer the grease into a plastic bag and place it in your fridge until it turns into a solid. Dump it in the trash can when it appears no longer liquid.
- Eggshells: these are another enemy of your drainage system. Don’t let the memory of those deviled eggs go to waste with a drain clog!
- Various vegetables: there are a number of common holiday vegetables that can be bad news. Stringy parts of the following veggies can get caught on garbage disposal blades, stopping them from turning:
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Zucchini
- Asparagus
- Celery
Clearing your drains:
If you’re reading this too late, there are always ways to remedy clogged drains. Below are a few tips and tricks to get your kitchen sink working again.
- Boiling water: what easier way to try and unclog your drain than with boiling hot water from your sink! Take a large enough pot filled with water and set it on your stovetop until boiling. Carefully empty out the water into the drain in an attempt to minimize the blockage. If the first batch of water doesn’t do the trick, try, try again. This tip is usually enough to clear out the source of the blockage.
- Garbage disposal: chances are that the reason your sink has stopped working is due to a malfunction of the garbage disposal. A quick look around the underside of your disposal will reveal a switch. Press this once and see if the problem has not resolved itself.
- Baking soda and salt and/or vinegar: both of these household item combinations have the possibility of fixing your drainage problems. Depending on which duo you choose to use, pour about a cup of each item into your stopped drain. For the salt mixture, let it sit for a few hours. For the vinegar mixture, wait until the bubbling reaction stops. Pour boiling hot water into your sink after either of these has concluded. Repeat if necessary.
Call us: if the problem seems too complex for these tips, don’t hesitate to call us at (757)-466-0644. We are available 24/7 for emergency services.