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[okie smokie]

Two things:
1. grease build up happens even if you are careful.
2. Saurkraut should not be disposed of in your sink disposal! 
 After 25 years in this house, and NOT ever pouring grease down the the double sink, there was an unknown almost obstructed pipe about 15 feet down stream. It accumulated from the minuscule amounts of grease that remain in pans and pots, and from organic leftovers from meats and some veggies.
Then unknowingly, I disposed of a quart of sauerkraut in the disposal, and ended up with a plug, down the line. I first thought it was where the two pea traps emptied in the common drain under the sink. But was unable to dissolve this with Drano, and also a 12 foot wire snake. I called my friendly plumber.

When I told him what I had done, he shuddered and said "never, ever, ever, ever, put sauerkraut down the disposal". At least not more than just the few strands left on dinner plates. He was surprised to find that the pea traps were open, so he ran his electric snake and found the obstruction 15-20 feet down stream, apparently at a turn angle. It was all hard grease with sauerkraut completing the process, at least that is what his snake tip contained on removal. He successfully cleared it. Instead of a one hour charge, it took 2 hours all together. $302 later, he left with this advice:
1.No sauerkraut down the disposal, no oil or greasy stuff, and always let the hot water run after use for a minute or two.
2. Once a week or two or at least once a month, fill one sink with hot water, add a half cup of Dawn dish detergent, stir and then pull the plug. That should keep you grease free.
However, if I do nothing new, except omit sauerkraut, I should be good for another 25 years?  I am 87 now, so I will report back on this when I am 112 years old.

[02ebz06]

Good to know about the sauerkraut.
We use this stuff.

[urnmor]

Well fortunately for me as I hate sauerkraut I do not have to worry about it clogging our drains.  Grease not so sure.  But based on your description we probably have another 9 or 10 years to go before it is a problem.

On a side note we once owned a rental where they must have cooked everything in grease and dumped down their sink.  what a mess to clean and unclog.

[okie smokie]

The grease we had was hard even to scrape loose back and forth. I guess the lesson of the day is that you never know how close you are to plugging until it happens. Our dishwasher empties its soapy suds thru the same drain, but not enough to prevent sludging. I am also advised not to pour coffee grounds down the disposal as it combines with greasy surfaces to make hard plaque as well. Lotsa hot water flow when using disposal makes sense to me as well.

[BigDave83]

No disposal for me but that seems like great advice about the sauerkraut. I also and careful with how much oil and grease go down the drain.

I use drain cleaners often and about 2 years ago had to go to the lye to get a very slow moving kitchen drain flowing again. I will also dump some close boiling water down them. I put about a 20 quart pot on over the pilot light and then drain cleaner at night before bed, get up and turn the burner on and when it gets close boiling I dump down one side and then the other. 

[okie smokie]

Good info Dave. I plan to set up my digital calendar to remind me to "flush" monthly.

[ICIdaho]

I wonder why sauerkraut vs. any other food if they all around ground up in the disposal? 

[yorkdude]

As an ex plumbing contractor, garbage disposers are not for garbage. The typical home disposer is 1/3 hp and the blades are…….., well they are terrible. Fibrous anything is a NO NO. Same with starches and grease. If I had saved all the $ I made during Thanksgiving, canning season and most any holiday I wouldn’t be working on golf carts. YMMV, but I doubt it.

[Bar-B-Lew]

As an ex plumbing contractor, garbage disposers are not for garbage. The typical home disposer is 1/3 hp and the blades are…….., well they are terrible. Fibrous anything is a NO NO. Same with starches and grease. If I had saved all the $ I made during Thanksgiving, canning season and most any holiday I wouldn’t be working on golf carts. YMMV, but I doubt it.

I don't doubt what you are saying as you are a professional.  Why do we have garbage disposals hooked up to our sinks then?  Do they serve ANY useful purpose?

[yorkdude]

Lew, I truly dont know where or when they came about but if you empty the food into trash 1st etc and then rinse they are fine for the little tid bits etc. I have seen many, many people peel carrots, potatos etc and just jam them down the drain…….it’ll bite you, promise. As for the hot water tip, absolutely and the more the merrier. Soap scum builds up also and most dishwashers empty into the disposer causing build up. We have not had a dishwasher or disposer for many years for those very reasons. YMMV

[urnmor]

You peeked my interest regarding garbage disposals so I did an Internet search.  I found out that they have had an interesting history.  They have been banned in some locations in NJ, not liked by apartment owners in NYC and frown upon in many states because of the amount of water they consume.

[jdmessner]

Years ago, I worked in an assisted living facility for seniors. One night they served spaghetti for the residents. There was a new person working in the kitchen who thought he could save a little time cleaning plates. Rather than scraping the leftovers from the plates into the trash, he just put everything down the garbage disposal. It didn't take long before the drain became plugged. The maintenance guy had to remove the disposal and several pipes to unclog it. The end result was a very solid, long, glob of pasta. If I recall correctly that was probably the last night for that guy in the kitchen!

[Bentley]

All I can do is share my experience, not trying to say anyone is right or wrong.  I owned a home on a septic system with a well for 10 years in Madera County in central California.  I guess I never heard I was not supposed to have a garbage disposal.  Ran that thing all the time, put potato peels, grated carrots, grease, you name it.  Never one concern.  Although, in every home i have lived in hot water and Dawn have always been involved in my kitchen sinks!

[02ebz06]

The two times we have had well/septic we always tried to put all waste in trash.
Only thing we put down sink was yeast once a month.

[okie smokie]

We wzere on septic for 12 years and used the proper additives regularly. No major problems.The lines were in the front half acre lawn, sandy loam so we had green lawn and very healthy pecan trees (old orchard). Now connected to city sewer. Had to have main line unplugged once for grease. New owner's got city sewer a year later.