Thanksgiving preparation and cleanup tips

The turkey’s stuffed, table’s set, and TV’s on…but what about those Thanksgiving preparation and cleanup tips that aren’t on your to-do list?

To keep the oven, garbage disposal and kitchen sink drain in good working condition this holiday season, cooks need to take some precautions before and after the Thanksgiving feast.

“Oven problems usually go unnoticed until the turkey is already inside,” said Doug Rogers, president of Mr. Appliance® Corp. “Give yourself enough time before the big day to test your oven and if needed, call an appliance repair company for help. A few minutes spent checking your kitchen appliances could save your holiday season.”

A proper working oven is something you and your tableful of hungry relatives will be thankful for. This year, add these oven tips from Mr. Appliance to your Thanksgiving to-do list in preparation for the festive feast:

* Avoid running the self-cleaning cycle before a big holiday dinner.
* Remove caked on food from the gas vents or the heating element.
* To test baking efficiency, buy a white cake mix. If cake is dry or undercooked, oven temperature isn’t set correctly.
* Replace gaskets at the first sign of a leak or if moisture appears on outside of oven.
* Use oven light to save cooking time and energy.

For those who aren’t do-it-yourselfers, appliance repair professionals can repair faulty gaskets and replace oven lights.

As for the cleanup process, there are five tips many don’t think about until it’s too late. Mr. Rooter Plumbing has this advice:

* Wipe off greasy dishes before washing.
* Avoid pouring grease down the drain.
* Throw scraps in trash or compost pile.
* Don’t overload the garbage disposal.
* Don’t use dishwasher if disposal isn’t working.

When cooks combine turkey bones and potato peels with grease, they’ve got the ideal recipe for a backed-up kitchen sink. It’s a mixture that keeps plumbers busy over the holiday, unclogging stuffing-stuffed drains.

“It’s important to know what should and should not be put down the drain before the Thanksgiving frenzy,” said Mary Kennedy Thompson, president of Mr. Rooter Corporation. “People also don’t realize how much food they put down their garbage disposal until the drain is backed up.”