Did you run your disposal more than usual over Thanksgiving? I wouldn’t doubt it. My dishwasher was run at least three times on Thanksgiving, and my plumbing got quite the workout. The toilets, the faucets, the disposal. All of it!

Honestly, I was waiting for something to stop working on Thanksgiving. My gut was telling me that my disposal would die at the worst time, that I’d have to wait until stores were open to buy a disposal and then installing a new one. Thankfully, my current disposal lived to see another day, and it kept up with my family and the big meal.

I was also waiting for one of the toilets to be backed up from the guests visiting and making sure to work out the plumbing. But wouldn’t you know it – the toilets didn’t clog once! I was beyond happy about that.

I’m also fortunate to have the ability to say that my drains are in good condition. That might be because I don’t cook as much in my home as I could. Or it could be that I take good care of my plumbing by not pouring grease down the drains and I clear my hair out of the drain when the shower is backing up.

Getting Rid OF Cooking Grease

So, what do you do if you need to get rid of grease from cooking, and you know better than to pour it down the drain? If you have an empty plastic cup or an old metal can, let the grease cool down and then pour the grease in there. From there you can dump the cup or can of grease in the trash. I’ve seen a hack online where someone put foil in the sink so that it covered the drain, poured grease in the foil and then threw out the foil after the grease was cooled down. I haven’t tried this, but it seems like it would work and that it’s pretty ingenious.

Going back to the disposal, it’s always best to run the disposal with the water running. Some people think that not running the disposal as much will keep it in good condition. In actuality, the opposite it true. The more you run it, the more exercise it gets, and it stays in operating condition.

One more thing about your disposal and then I’ll move on. Don’t treat your disposal like a trashcan. Not everything is meant to meet your disposal. For example, do not put potato peels down your disposal, or you run a risk of clogging your kitchen drain.

Never Put Grease Down The Drain

Speaking of drains, you already know not to put grease down your drain in your kitchen. The grease will solidify in the drain and cause a backup – and a headache. But what about your other drains?

If you have long, luscious locks of hair, then you probably have to clear out your shower drain periodically. That wad of hair looks like a drowned Wookie and can cause you to have water up to your ankles if you don’t clear out the hair soon enough. However the stopper comes off your drain for your tub (if you have a tub/shower combination), use needle nose pliers to remove the unwanted hair. Periodically run water down the drain to check if you’ve cleared out the clog. Do not pour harmful chemicals down the drain, as they can damage your pipes.

Now onto the porcelain throne. We know the two main culprits that clog toilets, but what about other items? Small children tend to flush toys and other small things down the toilet, and this can cause parents to pull their hair and try to figure out what’s causing the backup. If you tried plunging and nothing is working, think about what was possibly flushed. If it was human waste, and I think you know which kind of talking about, try plunging the water until it’s at the very bottom of the bowl. Then pour very hot water into the bowl and let it sit there for a while. The idea is that the hot water will melt the fats in the waste and allow it to drain. If it’s toilet paper, then that can be a harder battle. Patience will be your ally. Sometimes the toilet paper will move on its own, and then you can resume use of the toilet.

Contact Us For All Your Drain Cleaning Needs!

No matter what the issue is with your drains, the amazing team with Albuquerque Plumbing Heating & Cooling has the experienced technicians to unclog your drains and toilets, as well as replace your disposals. In fact, we have an entire department devoted to drains. From small jobs to major jobs, our team has the know-how to take care of the drains in your family’s home and keep things flowing smoothly. Our drain experts have seen it all, and they will get the drains in your home running again.

If you’re looking for fast and reliable drain cleaning, then check out our services in the following locations:

Looking for help in Arizona? Then check out the Phoenix drain cleaning experts and Phoenix water heater repair specialists at Deer Valley Plumbing. Check out one of their locations below: