During the holidays, you’re probably doing plenty of cooking, from gingerbread and sugar cookies to a roast turkey feast. While you prepare your holiday meals, make sure to take good care of your kitchen plumbing. Your garbage disposal can handle a lot, but the following items should never go down the drain—unless you want to call a plumber in the middle of your holiday celebration.

Foods That Should Never Go Down the Drain

1. Rice & Pasta

These foods soak up water like a sponge, expanding to many times their original size. At best, they’re messy; at worst, they can stick to the sides of your kitchen plumbing and even cause serious clogs.

2. Bones

Don’t let your ham or turkey bones slip down the sink. Not only will they dull your garbage disposal blades, but they can lodge between the blades and burn out the motor. Even if your garbage disposal manages to break a bone, the process will be loud and unpleasant, so just throw them in the trash instead.

3. Grease

Oil, fat, and cooking grease are liquid when they’re warm, so you may be tempted to pour them down the drain. But as soon as they cool off, they solidify and can cause some of the most stubborn kitchen plumbing clogs. Let the grease cool in the pan, then scrape it into the trash.

4. Eggshells

When eggshells go into your garbage disposal, they get completely pulverized. The pieces of shell are tiny and thin, with a sticky inside due to the egg’s inner membrane. This makes it easy for them to get stuck inside the garbage disposal and pipes.

5. Coffee Grounds

Similarly, coffee grounds are also tiny and gritty and easily work their way inside the garbage disposal’s parts. Not only do they get stuck, but they also have a strong odor that can become unpleasant if left for too long.

If you’ve put the wrong thing down your drain and need kitchen plumbing repairs, choose Diamond Head Plumbing in Honolulu, HI. For over 40 years, this Oahu plumber and general contractor has provided customer-oriented service, achieving an A+ rating with the BBB®. To schedule a visit, call (808) 734-4344 or contact them online.