Orlando, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Cleaning up after a holiday meal with family and friends is no easy task. It can be tempting to dump food left on plates down the drain. But plumbers say that will lead to holiday plumbing problems.
The holiday season is the busiest season for plumbers!
“I think the common misconception is people think as a garbage disposal, you can put anything down it,” said Joseph Oldeack, Plumber.
But that’s not the case. Many foods don’t break down in the disposal. Instead, they get diced up into smaller pieces and that can cause clogs.
“Some of the most common foods we see causing issues would be potato skins, eggshells, coffee grounds, pastas, rice, more of your starchy foods tend to cause issues in garbage disposals,” explained Oldeack.
Also, never put bones, onion skins, nuts or grease down the drain. If there is a clog or something falls into the disposal.
“First thing I would say is, don’t put your hand down there,” said Oldeack.
Make sure the power is off at the breaker box. The disposal can also be dismounted from under the sink. It’s also important to keep the garbage disposal clean so it works well. Lemon juice and baking soda can help remove debris and build up. Dumping crushed ice into the disposal and running it can help sharpen the blades.
Plumbers also say never dump any kind of oil down the drain. It will sit in the pipes and over time, that can cause a blockage. Holiday plumbing
Contributors to this news report include: Lindsay Dailey, Producer; Bob Walko
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