Frankenstein, Dracula…and the Grease Goblin? Oh, maybe you haven’t heard of grease goblins. With all of the little ghosts and ghouls walking around on Halloween, it’s hard to keep them all straight, but this is one goblin you won’t want to forget. Most people don’t expect to see him at all. In fact, he won’t be trick-or-treating at your door. He’ll be lurking down your sink drain! Think “Slimer” from the Ghostbusters (remember the green guy with the big appetite). This stinky, slimy, greasy goblin doesn’t intend any harm, but boy does he love to eat, and if you’re not careful about what you put down your drain, you could be creating the perfect menu for him. He’ll stay there forever if you keep feeding him, growing and growing as grease goblins do, until your drain is completely clogged.
To make sure no grease goblins take up residence in your pipes, follow these two simple rules:
- Don’t put fats, oils or grease (FOG) down the drain. Grease goblins love FOG. Scrape what’s left in your cooking pots and pans into the trash or pour it into a container for trash disposal later. Leftover sauces and dressings should go in the trash, too. (I heard grease goblins love ranch dressing.)
- Use a strainer in your kitchen sink, not your garbage disposal. You may be thinking…”Okay, but I don’t need to worry about the grease goblin because I don’t cook with a lot of fats, oils or grease.” Don’t be fooled! Grease goblins love the oils in food scraps and leftovers that get washed down your drain. A garbage disposal is a grease goblin’s best friend. Use a strainer to collect these scraps and toss them in the trash so they don’t become your goblin’s next meal.
So remember, this Halloween (and throughout the year) please don’t feed the grease goblins or the grease grinches. If you follow the two rules above, they will start to get hungry and move on, leaving your pipes free and clear. After all, you’ve got plenty of other monsters to worry about on October 31st.
This article was contributed by Sarah Crawford, HRSD Community Educator.