As families roll up their sleeves and get ready to whisk up some festive cheer for Stir-up Sunday, Severn Trent is serving up a timely reminder - don’t let your kitchen sink become a recipe for disaster. 

The age-old tradition is set to take place on Sunday, November 23^rd to celebrate the last Sunday before Advent and sees households mixing up their Christmas puddings. 

But while the mixing bowl may be the star of the show, what goes down the sink could be the pantomime villain of the piece. 

Severn Trent is urging everyone to ‘be a binner, not a blocker’ because fats, oils, greases (FOG), and leftover batter can cause a real stir in the sewers. These ingredients might be great in a pudding, but they’re a recipe for fatbergs and blockages when poured down the drain. 

Last year alone, Severn Trent cleared around 30,000 blockages and removed 14 million litres of FOG, many of these could’ve been avoided by following a few simple steps to protect their homes. 

Grant Mitchell, Severn Trent Blockages Lead, said: “We all love a good pud, I know I do, but let’s not let our festive fun turn into a festive flood. Stir-up Sunday is about tradition, togetherness, and tasty treats, but it’s also a great time to think about what goes down the sink. 

“Blockages are not nice, but by making simple changes such as scraping leftover fats, oils and greases into the bin and keeping FOG out of the sink, we can all help keep our homes blockage-free and our spirits high. 

“By working together, we can reduce blockages that have a massive, and sometimes costly, impact on customers. That is why we are offering support and advice to customers as making sure everyone is ready for winder is in our nature.” 

To help customers Severn Trent is sharing top tips to keep homes merry, bright, and blockage-free: 

In the kitchen:

• Soak up the grease: Use kitchen roll to wipe plates and pans before washing. 

• Cool it, then bin it: Pour used cooking oil, fat and grease into a container and bin it once cool. 

• Don’t let your sink get stuffed: Scrape all food scraps into the bin – not the drain. 

In the bathroom:

• Fix those festive drips: Check for leaky loos, taps and showers. 

• Flush only the 3Ps: Pee, poo and paper – everything else belongs in the bin. 

• Keep a bin handy: For wipes, nappies, and other unflushables. 

Grant added: “So this Stir-up Sunday, while you’re mixing up memories and marinating in merriment, remember don’t let your drains get the wrong kind of stuffing. Let’s keep the festive flow going in the kitchen, not the sewers.” 

Further information on how to prepare your home for winter can be found here.