I wish I’d known....before I had to call the plumber.
Adding to this topic of “wish I’d known” ... why do none of the books or video courses designed to teach the home baker how to make bread like a pro say anything at all about how to dispose of flour and dough? I had to learn the hard way—-when the plumbing backed up and water leaked onto the kitchen flour from the sewer drain pipe. All the books should mention that rinsing out dough bowls and utensils in the kitchen sink is going to stop up your plumbing in about three months time.
I have since read various posts here with some hints on clean up, such as using cold water instead of hot. I wipe everything out rather than rinse. I bought the silicone sink strainers. And I empty water that has the remains of flour or dough outdoors in the bushes. (We live in a condo with no opportunity to compost.)
What with plumber’s bill, all the “have to have” books and necessary equipment, the loaves I’ve made so far (eatable but not spectacular) cost average out to about $50 a loaf! LOL!
Lora
Yea, I’ve been there. And I knew better.
Try to scrape as much dough into the garbage as possible. Use the drain strainers. I also started soaking the containers and tools in water overnight to liquify the residual dough. I’m hoping that once the dough is watered down to a thin liquid that it will safely pass through the pipes.
Any other suggestions are appreciated...
Dan
this has been something concerning me, but no one ever actually told me how to dispose of dough. i, too, am in a condo, not sure how the HOA will feel if i start emptying water into the bushes :(
Well, mine hasn't stopped up in many years of dumping dough into it, but it does have a disposal unit, which chops and liquifies the dough.
Yes - what goes down the drain is basically glue. No bueno for pipes. I've also had a few backups myself, even after being careful and a gargbage disposal. Personally I have no qualms about trashing the dough that is cleaned up. It's definitely better decomposing in the trash than in my pipes.
A few other tips I've picked up that may help...
Hope this helps!
and all the excess flour from the counter top goes straight into the trash bin. The trace amounts of dough in mixing bowls are well dissolved with warm water and detergent. We have had backups but they were from tree roots.
I've worried for a while about washing the discard from feeding SD starter down the drain and have since reading this, stopped the practice!