Thanksgiving Foods and Your Garbage Disposal

Thanksgiving – a holiday spent eating delicious food with family and friends. But, what happens when everyone is full? After the meal, many people resort to shoving leftovers into the garbage disposal. This can be detrimental to the health of your garbage disposal and lead to future problems. Below is a list of food that should be thrown in the trash or compost, rather than down the drain.

Turkey

Like any meat, turkey is full of grease, fats, and oil which can damage your disposal. Once cooled, fat can stick to your disposal blades or pipes and harden. A large amount of hardened fat can easily lead to a clog.

Potatoes

Potatoes and potato peels should be thrown in the trash rather than down the disposal. Starchy foods, including potatoes and their peels, can wrap around the disposal blade and lead to a clog. You may think that they’re okay because they have disappeared from your sink, but, they may be caught in your disposal blade.

Pasta

Cooked or uncooked, pasta can be disastrous for your drain. When the pasta has been cooked, it cannot properly be processed by the garbage disposal. Once in your drain, it will begin to expand and could potentially lead to a clog.

Eggs

When baking desserts for Thanksgiving, avoid throwing your eggshells in the disposal. Eggshells contain a thin membrane on the inside that cannot be processed by the disposal. This membrane, like potato peels, can wrap around the blade of the disposal and cause problems that can be avoided. Rather than throwing the shells in the disposal, throw them in the trash or a compost pile instead.

By placing the above food in the trash or compost, you can save yourself from potential garbage disposal issues. If you think that food has gotten stunk in your garbage disposal, give Rapid-Rooter a call. Have a happy Thanksgiving and remember to keep your plumbing and appliances in mind this holiday season!