What does plumbing have to do with carving pumpkins?
Believe it or not, Halloween can be a scary time for kitchen sinks and drains, garbage disposals and even toilets. No, we’re not talking about the consequences of an accidental overload on Halloween candy, but the misconceptions about dealing with pumpkin scraps. We put together a list of simple rules of thumb on to how to save your drains and avert serious plumbing disasters during the Halloween season.
Rule #1: No pumpkin carving in the kitchen sink
You might think you’re saving yourself the hassle of cleaning by carving pumpkins in the kitchen sink, but beware, the sticky insides quickly block drains when they slip past the sink stopper. Pumpkin pulp tends to slide down the drain easily enough, but it then sticks to the insides of the pipes where it’s hard to reach, hardens, and leaves you with clogged kitchen plumbing and no choice but to call a plumber. A great alternative for the kitchen sink is to get the dirty work done on a thick stack of newspapers away from any drains that can potentially clog.
Rule #2: No tossing pumpkin scraps in the garbage disposal
Garbage disposals are no doubt useful for most food waste, but pumpkin guts aren’t one of them. Save your garbage disposal and avoid kitchen clogs by opting for roasting the seeds and making soups or dessert out of the pulp. You can also come up with your own creative ideas on getting the most out of pumpkin scraps.
Rule #3: No pumpkin gunk in the toilet
Surprisingly, many people think that this is a good idea, but the sticky pumpkin leftovers will clog bathroom pipes just like kitchen drains. This forms a clog further down the pipes and makes unclogging even more of a tricky task.
What is the best way of handling pumpkin scrap?
Instead of simply throwing the carving leftovers in the garbage, compost them, or make bird feed our of them. And don’t forget that the jack-o-lanterns themselves can be composted, as well!
Is there a pumpkin clogging a drain in your San Diego home? Give the professionals at 1-800-anytyme a call at (760) 477-0072 or contact us via our contact form so we can get to the root of the problem.