Unless you're keen on sharing the holidays with a plumber, let's chat about what NOT to send down the drain!

Disposals are wondrous inventions, but even the best grinders can't handle everything. As you bake, pressure-cook, fry or grill your holiday meals, be mindful of where you put those leftovers.

Starches expand when they meet water, fat sticks to the pipes, and fibers wind around disposal blades and slow it down. Even the smallest things like coffee grounds and eggshells can get hard packed and choke the drains.

Even if something isn't a problem for you, when your waste meets all your neighbors it might leave a big mess lurking beneath the streets.

What doesn't belong down the drain, disposal or not!

• Anything greasy - Fats and oils
• Fruits and vegetables that have a lot of fibers - Think corn husks, onions, lettuce, celery, and artichokes
• Potatoes and peelings
• Rice and pasta
• Animal bones
• Paper napkins
• Raw meat, fat and trimmings
• Flour
• Seeds, pits or kernels
• Egg shells
• Coffee grounds

Tips:

• Grease traps need to be cleaned regularly, with the waste thrown into the trash.
• Use strainers to catch the smaller bits that might get away in the sink.
• There are products that can turn used oil solid and make throwing it away easier and less messy.
• When in doubt, throw it out with the trash!