If you want to avoid a costly plumbing broadside , keep sourdough starter out of the sink drain .
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If you just made a beautiful loaf of bread ofsourdough breadand are n’t trusted about how to dispose of remnant starer , emphatically do n’t pour it down the swallow hole waste pipe . Compost it or dump it in the trash in a sealed bag , but never put the starter — or sourdough scratch for that issue — down the drain . While it might seem like the flour and water would simply unthaw under run water , a plumbing expert says that ’s not the case .
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" stream sourdough neophyte down the sink drain wo n’t cause an immediate issue but is probable to lay the understructure for a clog in your pipage , " saysDanny Pen , president of New Era Plumbing & HVAC . The sticky starter clings to the insides of the pipes , trapping other rubble and slowly drying out , only to result in blocked piddle flow and a clog that ’s a job for a professional . Pen total that you should debar pouring any flour - ground , doughy , or starchy product down the sink waste pipe — that includes things likepancake slugger , scratch lettuce , pasta pelf , and even squelch potatoes , as they all make the same clogging problem . learn on for more details , as well as a tips what to do instead .
Danny Penis the chairperson of New Era Plumbing & HVAC .
Valerie Agyeman , RDN , is a dietitian and host of fair sex ’s wellness podcast , Flourish Heights .
Why You Shouldn’t Pour Sourdough Starter Down the Sink Drain
" Dry or blind drunk , a lot or a little — sourdough starting motor should never go downthe drain , " Pen says . He compares it to wet cement , explaining that it can gravel to the wall of the pipes and traps other junk . The starter hardens over sentence , which moderate to hard - to - remove blockages in the pipes and a reduced pipe diameter . Pen says drainpipe pipe and the P - ambuscade are especially vulnerable and the spots where sourdough starter settles .
If you ’re wondering whether it ’s safe to stream dry sourdough starter down the waste pipe , the expert has a clear answer : no . " Dry sourdough fledgling is n’t safe either , as it turns into the same viscid , gum - like mess once it ’s exposed to water , " he says .
How Sourdough Starter Affects Your Plumbing
Whether it ’s sourdough newbie or another wet batter , the sticky mixture of flour and water does n’t just wash out as you may require it to . " It cling to the walls of your pipes and , like a sweet sand verbena , picks up other rubble like grease , coffee grounds , soap trash , food scraps , and hairsbreadth , " Pen order . What you ’re left with is a mass of steamy gunk which slowly thickens and then dry out , creating what the expert says is a rock - solid clog . This solution in significantly reduced pipe diam and potentially completely blocked water supply flow .
take away a clog of this kind is a complex undertaking even for a professional consort to Pen and he equates the task to trying to scrub dry dough off a countertop or stadium . " make it out of your pipes is something similar but even more problematic and requires a professional to handle it , " he enounce .
How to Safely Dispose of Sourdough Starter
To safely dispose of sourdough appetizer , Pen say you have two options : confuse it in the trash orcompost it . If you ’re travel to dump it in your trash can , ensure you send it in a sealed suitcase or an airtight container first to fend off an unpleasant morose smell from taking over your kitchen . If you have access to a compost bin , you’re able to choose to compost sourdough appetizer . It ’s an constitutive substance so it ’s compost - friendly , and this electric pig method acting offers an environmentally - friendly root that wo n’t mess with your plumbery .
Other Ways to Use Leftover Sourdough Starter
If you haveleftover sourdough starterand are n’t certain what to do with it , or else of lurch it , work it into something yummy instead . " pullulate sourdough starter or dough down the cesspool is n’t just bad for your plumbing system — it ’s also a waste of good food for thought , " saysValerie Agyeman , registered dietitian dietician and host of char ’s health podcast , Flourish Heights . She suggests saving the special starter for future baking or make creative and using it in other recipes . " If you ’re into food permissive waste reduction , you could repurpose sourdough starter motor in things like hotcake and waffle for extra fluffiness or even crackers for a delish homemade snack , " Agyeman says .
