Can we talk turkey? Thanksgiving is this Thursday, and with that comes a lot of cooking. You spend hours preparing delicious dishes for family and friends, but, when it’s time for clean-up do you know what to do with the scraps, juices, and grease? Here are a few tips to help reduce your kitchen waste and a few ways to keep the plumber from being one of your Thanksgiving guests.

• Consider creating a compost for food items that you can no longer use like egg shells or banana peels
• Learn how to properly store your leftovers and encourage friends and family to take a plate to go.
• Be careful what you pour down the drain! Food scraps and grease should be placed in the trash.
• Scrape or wipe all dishes, pots, and pans before washing.
• If you decided to deep fry your turkey this year, you may now be wondering what to do with all that leftover cooking oil. Pouring grease or oil down the drain is just asking for a clogged pipe.

o Store the oil in the original container for reuse. Strain out any particles and freeze. Oil can be kept for up to six months and reused for up to six hours of fry time.

o Freeze oil and then throw the hardened oil away on trash day.

o Mix oil with unscented kitty litter, sawdust or sand to solidify the oil. Dispose of it in the trash. Avoid scented or disinfectant types of kitty litter as they can react with the oil and cause a fire.

o Recycle it at your community’s transfer or recycling center.

These are just a few ways to make your Thanksgiving clean up a bit easier. If you want more tips for creating a compost or turkey frying facts visit askHRgreen.org!