While your garbage disposal may sound powerful, there are certain items you should never toss in them. The wrong foods can clog the disposal and create other serious kitchen plumbing problems. Here are the seven things that are far better off in the trash than in your sink.
- Grease
You may have heard that bacon grease should never go down the drain, but in reality, any type of grease or oil is bad news for your garbage disposal. The rotating parts of the disposal are made to crush up small bits of food. When grease is poured in the disposal, it builds up over time and can clog up pipes.
- Pasta
Rice, noodles, and any food that absorbs water can cause serious problem in the disposal. These gummy foods linger, and when you pour water down the drain, they expand and clog up the garbage disposal.
- Bones, seeds, and pits
Your garbage disposal isn't strong enough to crush bones. It also can't deal with tough pits, shells (including eggshells), large seeds and similar hard leftovers. Throw hard items with shells or pits in the trash instead.
- Coffee grounds
Coffee grounds are notorious for getting trapped in disposals and requiring extensive cleanup to remove. They will form a thick sludge that won't wash away, so put them in the traditional garbage or recycle them.
- Fibrous vegetables
Celery, potato skins and corn husks. Any vegetables with long, tough fibers should stay away from the disposal. The fibers get wrapped up in the disposal and refuse to leave, eventually causing plumbing problems.
- Leftover meat
Don't toss even the smallest bits of meat in the garbage disposal. Many types of meat are very stringy and, like fibrous vegetables, accumulate in the disposal. This creates unpleasant odors and can jam up your garbage disposal, so avoid tossing leftover meat in there!
- Anything that isn't food
Don't let silverware, paper towels, or anything else accidentally slide into the disposal while you're using it. This can leave you with a costly repair, so put non-food items directly in the trash.
Do you have more questions about garbage disposals and how to repair them? Contact Ragsdale so we can fix your kitchen and plumbing issues!
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