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October is a great time of year – cooler winds blow in, leaves begin to change and children start talking about what scary gremlin or magical princess they want to be for Halloween.

But in the midst of the Halloween festivities, if pumpkin carvers don’t properly dispose of the pumpkin pulp, they could have more than just trick-or-treaters knocking at their doors this Halloween season. They may need a plumber to come unclog their kitchen sink drains or repair their garbage disposals.

Carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns is an age-old Halloween tradition, but it can quickly turn into a plumbing nightmare for families if they put the pulp and seeds down the garbage disposal.

Instead of breaking down like most foods, the orange pulp hardens and clogs the drain.

To ensure the pumpkin carving experience – and your pipes – flow smoothly, Mr. Rooter® recommends carving your award-winning jack-o-lantern on a newspaper away from the kitchen sink. This way no unwanted scraps creep into your drain. Be sure to avoid throwing any pumpkin pulp, seeds, triangle eyes and other cut pieces into the sink or toilet. Instead, throw all pumpkin-related material and newspaper in the garbage.

 

“A pumpkin’s stringy, slimy substance is too much for the garbage disposal to handle,” said Mary Kennedy Thompson, president of the Mr. Rooter Corporation. “Your thoughts should be on Halloween costumes, trick-or-treaters and giving out candy – not calling a plumber to clear your drain.”