Kitchen Drain Care Habits

Key takeaways

Scrape plates into the trash, not the sink
Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing
Run hot water after using the disposal
A drain strainer catches what you would otherwise wash away

Keep fats out

Cooking fat is liquid in the pan and solid in the pipe. Pour it into a can, let it set and throw it away, and wipe greasy pans and plates with a paper towel before washing. Hot water does not solve it; it only carries the grease further down.

This one habit does more for a kitchen drain than any product.

Scrape and strain

Scrape food scraps into the trash and use a sink strainer for the rest. Starchy foods such as rice, pasta and potato peels swell and stick, coffee grounds settle in bends and eggshells do not belong in a drain.

Empty the strainer into the trash every day.

Use the disposal gently

Run cold water while the disposal works and for about half a minute afterward, and feed it small amounts at a time. Skip fibrous things such as celery and corn husks and anything hard, such as bones.

A disposal grinds food, but it does not make it disappear.

Add a monthly habit

Once a month, remove the strainer, rinse it and clean the rim of the drain with a brush. A gentle enzyme treatment can help with odors between professional cleanings.

These habits stretch the time between visits and make each visit easier.