Plumbers in Dallas, TX experience a seasonal spike in kitchen calls when Thanksgiving rolls in. As locals cook and serve massive holiday meals, kitchen drains and appliances often succumb to the added pressure. Fortunately, you can avoid clogged drains, overflows, and disposal and dishwasher problems with this easy holiday kitchen survival guide.
What Not to Put Down the Disposal and Why
The term “garbage disposal” isn’t an accurate one. There are far better places for your kitchen waste than this appliance. You should use your garbage disposal to grind up residual food and keep your drain clear.
Avoid dumping full containers of spoiled food into this unit when cleaning out your refrigerator. Scrape dirty plates over the trash bin, and empty your roasting pans and pots before washing them.
Pouring greasy stocks, gravies, and sauces into this unit can lead to a malodorous and slow-moving drain. Overfilling your garbage disposal can jam its impeller blades and clog its discharge tube. There are also a number of common food items that should never make their way into your garbage disposal.
- Eggshells and bones
- Coffee grounds, tea bags, and loose-leaf teas
- Fibrous vegetables
- Vegetable, fruit, and potato peelings
- Cooked or uncooked starches
- Nuts and nut butters
Many of these things can create a thick, sludgy paste that clogs your disposal’s impellers, blocks your sink drain, or both. Things like coffee grounds, nuts, and loose tea tend to clump together. You’ll spare yourself a major headache by tossing these things into the wastebasket instead.
Prep and Cleanup Habits That Keep Drains Flowing
Keep your drains clean and moving swiftly with these simple prep and cleanup habits.
Get Ready for Grease
To prepare for all the grease, oils, and rendered fats that arise from holiday cooking, set aside a few empty, heat-safe jars or coffee cans with lids. After grease and rendered fats have cooled completely, seal them in these containers and throw them away. You can take larger quantities of used cooking oil to a local drop-off site.
Install Drain Covers
Keep hard, non-degradable items out of your plumbing by installing drain baskets. You can take these out when using your garbage disposal. If someone accidentally drops their eyeglasses or jewelry into your kitchen sink, you can easily retrieve them from your drain basket.
Don’t Use Your Dishwasher and Disposal Simultaneously
In many Dallas kitchens, dishwashers and garbage disposals have a shared circuit and a shared drain. Using both at once can trip their circuit breaker or create a tough clog.
A Ready-for-Guests Kitchen Checklist
To make drain maintenance easy for guests and anyone helping you prepare food, be sure to have these things on hand:
- A lined and accessible wastebasket
- Drain strainers or covers
- A kitchen sink plunger
- A list of items to never put in the disposal
- Your disposal’s user manual
Another great way to get ready for holiday guests is by creating a station for unwashed dishes near your wastebasket. This way, people won’t put dishes into your sink without scraping them first.
Quick Troubleshooting Tips Before You Call a Pro
Before scheduling emergency plumbing service, try troubleshooting your issue. Troubleshooting alleviates stress and optimizes operating conditions for drains and plumbing-connected appliances.
Reset Your Garbage Disposal
You may be able to restart your garbage disposal by pushing its reset button. This small, red button is on the underside of most units. If your disposal doesn’t reset right away, unplug it and try clearing trapped items. You should never attempt to clear waste from a garbage disposal before disconnecting its power supply.
Use a Kitchen Plunger
For minor clogs, try using a kitchen sink plunger. If you have a double sink, use a drain cover to block the drain you aren’t plunging.
Prep Your Drains With Professional Drain Cleaning Today!
Professional drain cleaning sloughs off trapped waste and leaves drains open, fresh-smelling, and pristine. Scheduling professional drain cleaning before major holiday celebrations will greatly limit your risk of clogs, overflows, and backups.
Cody & Sons Plumbing, Heating & Air offers expert drain repair and drain cleaning services. We also provide garbage disposal repair and installation services. We’re a top choice for holiday plumbing emergencies in Dallas and the surrounding cities.
To stave off Thanksgiving kitchen disasters, contact Cody & Sons Plumbing, Heating & Air and schedule drain cleaning service!
