Garbage Disposal Do’s and Don’ts

by Sarkinen Plumbing | Nov 05, 2019

Preventing a Broken Garbage Disposal

Clogged drains can quickly become an expensive nightmare that requires service from your local plumbing professional. However, most clogged drains can be avoided if you take care of your appliances — including your garbage disposal. Here are a few tips for properly maintaining your garbage disposal.

Garbage Disposal Do’s

Do Use Cold Water When Your Disposal is Running

While it’s true that hot water helps to dissolve grease, it can also push that grease and other hazardous materials deeper into your pipes and create clogs. If grease does end up down the drain, cold water can help solidify it, allowing your unit to grind it before reaching the trap.

Additionally, depending on how hot the water is, pouring it down your disposal can cause the unit to overheat. When frequently running your garbage disposal, use cold water to prevent rusting and corrosion.

Do Use Your Trash, Not Your Disposal

While your garbage disposal is helpful when it comes to grinding up food waste, it shouldn’t be used for all of your household garbage. Remember that your garbage can is the proper place for any non-food materials!

Do Cut Large Items Into Small Pieces

For any larger food items, chop them into smaller pieces and put them into your unit one at a time, rather than all at once. This will help to reduce your chances of a clog or overworking your disposal.

Garbage Disposal Don’ts

Don’t Sharpen the Blades with Eggshells

Many people assume that garbage disposals have very sharp blades that can chop up anything that comes its way, but this is not the case. Your garbage disposal has impellers — which are not sharp, they’re actually blunt. Therefore, putting sharp objects down the drain such as eggshells or ice will not sharpen the blades because they’re not meant to be sharp.

Don’t Use Harsh Chemical Drain Cleaners

Bleach and commercial chemical drain cleaners can cause a lot of damage to your garbage disposal. When you feel like your drain needs refreshing, try slicing lemons and letting them grind down in your disposal. Alternately, you can also use Borax, which is a great natural sink cleaner and sanitizer which helps to prevent mold and mildew accumulation.

Don’t Grind Hazardous Materials

Many homeowners assume that your garbage disposal is just that — the place you can throw any kitchen garbage. However, there are a number of foods and other materials that can actually damage your disposal, including:

• Anything combustible
• Glass
• Grease, Oil or Fat
• Plastic
• Metal
• Paper
• Potato skins
• Coffee grounds
• Fibrous foods such as corn husks, celery, etc.

If you do experience problems with your garbage disposal, trust our professionals at Sarkinen Plumbing to fix it! Call us at 360-369-3586 or complete our online contact form to receive exceptional plumbing services.