A garbage disposal helps keep your sink clean and your kitchen smelling fresh. However, putting the wrong items down the drain can lead to clogs, costly repairs, and major headaches. Whether you’re a first-time disposal owner or just looking to avoid an unexpected plumbing bill, it’s important to know the do’s and don’ts of garbage disposal use.
What Can Go Down a Garbage Disposal
Many homeowners make the mistake of putting everything down their garbage disposal. Unfortunately, some items can cause clogs or damage. However, certain food scraps are perfectly safe to grind. Here are the kinds of items that can go in the garbage disposal.
Soft Fruits and Vegetables
Peels and scraps from apples, cucumbers, carrots, and cooked veggies break down easily. These are disposal-friendly leftovers.
Citrus Peels
Tossing in a few lemon or orange peels can freshen up the unit. However, you don’t want to overdo it. Too many peels can gum up the blades.
Small Food Scraps
Small bits of rice, pasta, or cooked meat are fine. However, after each use, you must flush the disposal with plenty of cold water to avoid problems.
These are some starting points, but you should always use common sense. Something that feels heavy or sticky doesn’t belong in the garbage disposal.
What Can’t Go Down a Garbage Disposal
Now that you know what can be disposed of, what items should you avoid? Some foods and other items can cause serious damage, leading to repairs or a full replacement of your unit.
Grease, Oil, and Fat
Grease, oil, and fat may go down as liquids, but they solidify as they cool inside your pipes. This buildup creates a sticky, stubborn blockage that can restrict water flow and lead to major clogs over time.
Coffee Grounds
The grounds might be small and loose. However, they can clump together like cement inside your disposal and pipes.
Eggshells
This one surprises a lot of people. The shells themselves are not the problem; it is the membrane inside them. This can wrap around the blades and cause a jam.
Fibrous Vegetables
These vegetables can include celery, corn husks, asparagus, and artichokes. Their stringy fibers get tangled in the grinding mechanism and cause serious problems.
Pasta, Rice, and Potato Peels
Starchy foods absorb water and expand. A handful of pasta or rice can swell up in your pipes and cause a blockage.
Bones, Pits, and Shells
Garbage disposals aren’t built to handle hard materials. Items like chicken bones, fruit pits, and seafood shells can damage the blades or jam the motor. Always dispose of them in the trash instead.
Non-Food Items
Garbage disposals are meant for food waste only. Non-food items like utensils, twist ties, or bottle caps can damage the blades or jam the motor. Always double-check the sink before switching the disposal on.
Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Garbage Disposal Running Smoothly
While avoiding problematic items is a good start, there are other steps you can take to keep your unit in optimal working condition. These garbage disposal maintenance tips include:
- Feed food in small amounts.
- Clean the unit monthly.
- Listen for strange sounds like grinding, humming, or buzzing.
- Avoid chemical drain cleaners that can corrode parts and damage your pipes.
When to Call a Plumber
Even when you follow these garbage disposal tips, you can run into trouble. If you have one that is clogged, leaking, or not turning on, call a licensed plumber right away. Here are some signs it’s time to call in the pros:
- Persistent odors that will not go away
- Water is backing up in the sink
- Humming without grinding
- Frequent resets are needed to restart the disposal
Trying to fix these issues yourself can do more harm than good. Instead, save yourself the stress. Let a professional diagnose and resolve the issue.
Contact Your Local Professionals
If you’re having trouble with your garbage disposal in Madison, Action Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning, and Electric, Inc. is here to help. Whether it’s a stubborn clog, strange noises, or a unit that’s stopped working, our experienced plumbers will get your kitchen back to normal quickly. We’ve been helping Madison homeowners with plumbing issues since 1989. Contact us today to schedule your service.
