Garbage disposals provide a convenient way to reduce food waste and prevent your drains from clogging. However, it’s important to know what you can and can’t put into it to avoid costly repairs and keep it running efficiently. Garbage disposals are designed to handle some food scraps, but they aren’t suitable for everything. Putting some materials down your disposal can cause damage, blockages, and other serious plumbing issues. Here’s a guide to what’s OK to put down your garbage disposal and what’s not.
What Can Go Into Your Disposal
1. Ice Cubes: These can actually be somewhat beneficial for your garbage disposal as they help clear out debris that builds up over time. The ice acts as a scrubber and helps dislodge grease and particles of food that have become stuck to the walls and blades. While ice can be beneficial, put it in your garbage disposal only occasionally and not in excess.
2. Soft Food Waste: Garbage disposals give you a handy way to get rid of soft food scraps like small pieces of fruit, cooked pasta, rice, or vegetable peels. These softer foods are easy for the disposal to break down and dispose of because they don’t contain tough fibers or skin. To prevent any blockages, put these scraps into smaller pieces before you put them down your disposal.
3. Citrus Peels: You can put lemon, orange, lime and other citrus peels in your garbage disposal to help clean it up and keep it smelling fresh. Be sure to cut them into small pieces to avoid clogs.
What Can’t Go Into Your Disposal
1. Grease and Oil: Don’t pour any sort of grease, oil, or fat down your garbage disposal. These substances will solidify once they cool, which can cause clogs in your pipes and disposal. You need to place these substances in a container and throw them in the trash.
2. Hard or Fibrous Food Items: Things like bones, fibrous vegetables, and corn husks shouldn’t go down the garbage disposal. They are made of tough materials that are hard for the disposal to break down.
3. Non-Food Items: You should never put any non-food items like glass, metal, plastic, or paper in your garbage disposal. They will damage the motor or blades and cause the appliance to break.
4. Eggshells: Avoid putting these in your garbage disposal because they can create a gritty substance that builds up over time and causes blockages. Throw them in the trash or compost instead.
5. Coffee Grounds: While coffee grounds won’t harm your disposal, they can build up in drains and pipes and cause clogs. But they’re good to add to your compost mix.
A garbage disposal is a convenient kitchen appliance, but it’s important to use it properly. Contact the professionals at The Appliance Man Kentuckiana in Louisville, KY for assistance with broken or malfunctioning garbage disposals.
