Avoid ‘Brown Friday’ mishaps with common sense, moderation
The day after Thanksgiving may be about scoring Black Friday deals on big-screen TVs, electronics and all sorts of holiday gifts for others, but to plumbers, the day is about something significantly less fun.
“Brown Friday” is what they call it, and it’s the day they spend clearing and repairing drains and pipes — the cleanup work that comes after too much grease and gravy from Thanksgiving dinner and its aftermath.
Joe Bany, director of field operations and responsible master plumber at John Moore Services, said that using common sense and moderation will prevent many problems with sink drains, garbage disposals, dishwashers and toilets.
“Most people don’t use their kitchens right. I see drains filled with grease or a garbage disposal with a bone or fork stuck in there somewhere,” Bany said. “Sometimes it’s an accident and sometimes it’s, ‘Let’s put this in there and see what happens.’ ”
In that scenario, if you have to ask, the answer is usually “no.” Here’s Bany’s advice:
Grease: No matter what it came from, it does not belong in a sink or garbage disposal. Put it in an empty container and then put that in a plastic trash bag. It can and will clog your drains.
Food: Big pots of food should be disposed of similarly to
grease — not dumped straight in the disposal. “Don’t take a whole leftover pot of anything and dump it down the disposal,” Bany said. “The stuff left (on your plate or) in the bottom of the pot, that’s what it’s for, the leftover things.”
Bathrooms: If you already notice a slow-draining sink, you have a problem. The likely culprit is hair, so clean it out of the
drain and run water through it. If you’re expecting overnight company and they’ll use bathrooms that sit unused for long periods of time, run water in the sink or bathtubs to confirm they’re in good working order.
Garbage disposal: These do not have super sharp blades that can disintegrate anything and everything. They actually have blunt blades that mash
food before sending it on its way. Things that are already mushy, such as rice, macaroni or noodles, may seem soft and harmless, but they can actually clog the drain. Put them in a trash can instead.
Pre-holiday cleaning: Reports that ice cubes will sharpen blades in a disposal are false, Bany said. They will, however, knock debris from the sides of your garbage disposal and help it stay cleaner. Lemon wedges can freshen the disposal if it seems a little stinky.
Treat it well: If your kid throws marbles in the garbage disposal and turns it on to see what happens, expect it to have holes in its sides. Take care if it — that means no marbles, bones or eggshells — and your garbage disposal could stay in good working order for a long time.
Dishwasher: How much do you clean the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher? Bany notes that dishwashers are not garbage disposals. At the very least, rinse off big food particles before putting dishes in the dishwasher. And check the screen on its drain to make sure food hasn’t accumulated.
Communicate: If there are extra people on hand helping prepare food and doing cleanup, make sure they knowwhat you do and don’t want in your garbage disposal and dishwasher.
“I remember going to people’s homes (during the holidays), and everyone standing around watching. Mom and Dad are in town and there’s a brother-in-law in the background and I have to take the drains apart and there’s a whole head of lettuce in the pipes,” Bany said. “There’s always someone in the back of the room saying, ‘I told you that you shouldn’t do that.’ ”