Holiday tips to keep your plumbing clog-free

  • Published
  • By Lana Hedlund
  • 341st Civil Engineer Squadron
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The holidays are upon us. Big holiday meals and parties can result in calls to the plumber. Clogged pipes result from gradual buildup of grease, hair, soap or food particles. Here are a few tips to remember over the holidays: 

IN THE KITCHEN:
Scrape food scraps from cookware and dishes into a garbage can. Dry wipe dishes and cookware before washing. 

Avoid pouring oils, grease, dairy products, syrups or batters down the drain. They all contain fats and oils that solidify in the pipes and cause clogs. Keep small waste containers handy for draining pans and dishes before washing. 

Never put hard to grind, stringy, fibrous waste into the garbage disposer (poultry skins, carrots, celery, pumpkin pulp or banana peels). Run cold water down the drain for about 15 seconds before and after using the garbage disposer. 

IN THE BATHROOM:
Place a trash bin in the bathroom so the toilet isn't used as a garbage can. Never flush cotton swabs, cotton balls, hair, facial scrub pads, diapers or sanitary products down the toilet. These items will not easily dissolve and are responsible for most clogs. 

For more information, call 731-6175 or 731-7126.