As the holiday season approaches, many of us start to think about holiday foods. Most of spend far more time in the kitchen during the holidays than we usually do at other times of the year. Unfortunately, this does mean that our kitchen is forced to work harder, including our garbage disposal and drains. So, here are some essential maintenance tips to ensure that your garbage disposal is ready to handle the demands of the holidays.
Basic Maintenance Tips:
You don’t need to resort to caustic
drain cleaning products to keep your garbage disposal free of debris. These types of products tend to be highly caustic and can corrode your drains. Fortunately, there are some items around your home that can provide excellent cleaning. Simple ice cubes can be used to scour your disposal. Just drop two or three cubes into the disposal and switch it on. The ice will get chopped up and scour the disposal. Additionally, the cold water can wash away any food particles that could be stuck in the pipes.
If you need additional cleaning power, you can use a solution of baking soda and white vinegar. Put a cup of baking powder down the drain and follow it with a cup of white vinegar. You will notice that the mixture begins to fizz immediately. Allow it to sit for approximately five minutes, then run some cold water to rinse away the solution.
Practice Good Disposal Habits:
One reason why people experience
garbage disposal difficulties is poor habits. Many homeowners assume that anything can be put into the disposal with no consequences. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and you need to remember that your disposal is not a trash can. You should avoid putting certain foods into your disposal including fruit pits, potato skins, bones, stringy or fibrous vegetables such as celery or coffee grounds.
Additionally, you should never put any FOGs in your disposal. Fats, Oils or Grease are terrible for your drains. Even liquid oil will solidify inside your drains, attracting other particles and pieces of food debris. This can not only form a clog, but can bind up the mechanisms of your disposal.
You should also avoid putting any starchy scraps of food into your disposal. For example, pasta can swell up and create a gluey, gooey mess that can gum up your disposal and drains.
Get Your Drains Checked:
Finally, to ensure that your garbage disposal is in tip top condition for the holidays, it is a good idea to schedule a maintenance appointment with your local plumber. An
experienced plumber can check for any signs of clogs or other potential issues that could cause you a problem over the holidays.
The holidays can be a fantastic time for all the family to get together, but additional guests in your home can lead to problems if you are not prepared. So, before you start to tackle all those holiday family favorite dishes, ensure that your garbage disposal and drains are ready for the challenge.
By Giovanni Longo President Flood Brothers Plumbing
Giovanni Longo is a 3rd generation master plumber who has been practicing his craft and trade in the greater Los Angeles area for well over a decade and a half. A plumbing and hydraulics-engineering innovator, Giovanni’s particular world-class expertise focuses on dealing with challenging sewer system designs as well as resolving complex commercial and residential draining issues. As a certified Flood Mitigation expert, he is also well versed in a wide variety of water damage and remediation solution.
