POST-THANKSGIVING CLEANUP: Thanksgiving is almost here and millions of Americans are gearing up to cook up holiday feasts, filled with traditional holiday staples like turkey, gravy and all the trimmings. While these foods may be tasty, drain pipes do not take well to such items, which contain fats, oils and grease, that if poured down the drain, can adhere to the insides of pipes, causing clogs that lead to overflows and backups.

According to Pennsylvania American Water, the buildup of grease from disposing such items “can restrict the flow of wastewater, or worse yet, block the homeowners’ or utility’s sewer pipes” and neither dishwashing detergents nor garbage disposals can properly break down such materials, which build up over time.

The following steps can help avoid costly backups in the home wastewater systems this holiday season:

-Never pour grease into sinks, toilets or down drains.

-Allow the grease to cool and use a rubber scraper to remove the fat, oil and grease from cookware, plates, utensils and cooking surfaces. Place the grease in a sealed container and dispose of it in the trash.

-Install baskets/strainers in the sink drain to catch food scraps and empty them into the garbage.

-Remember, garbage disposals do not prevent grease from washing down the drain. Additionally, detergents that claim to dissolve grease may pass it down the line and cause problems in other parts of the wastewater system.

-Never flush wipes (even those labeled flushable or biodegradable) and paper towels down the toilet, as they can wreak havoc on wastewater systems. These should always be disposed of in the trash.

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TURKEY FACT: Did you know that turkey probably wasn’t part of the first Thanksgiving feast? While turkeys were around at the time, history indicates there’s no proof a turkey graced the table. Instead, venison, seafood including mussels, lobster and bass, and pumpkin were all tasty options. In fact, potatoes weren’t on the list, either.