Five Big No-Nos When You Have A Garbage Disposal

Construction & Contractors Blog

A garbage disposal can certainly come in handy when you're cleaning up after dinner, especially when you have friends and family over. However, garbage disposals are intricate machines, and you have to take proper care of them if you don't want them to break or cause clogs in your drainpipes. To that and, here are five big no-nos when you have a garbage disposal.

1. Grinding Fibrous Foods

Celery, artichokes, and any other foods that have long strings or fibers in them have no business going down the disposal. Their fibers can break free and get wrapped around the grinding mechanism in the disposal. This could cause the disposal to seize up or stop grinding effectively.

2. Grinding Anything Other Than Food

The most common non-food materials to get sent down garbage disposals include plastic packaging and aluminum foil. Though it may be convenient to send these down the disposal, doing so is dangerous. It could dull the grinder, and these materials could clog your pipes further down. If it's not food, don't put it down the disposal.

3. Using Drain Cleaner

If your disposal drain clogs, call the plumber to clean it. Using drain cleaner will do more harm than good, as the caustic chemicals can break down the grinder and perhaps even splash out, getting onto your skin and into your eyes.

4. Dumping Grease Down the Drain

To be clear, this one is a no-no whether or not you have a garbage disposal. However, many homeowners assume that because they have a disposal, it is then okay to dump grease or greasy sauces down the disposal drain. Sadly, the presence of the disposal won't keep grease from solidifying on the inside of your pipes and leading to clogs. So place your grease in the trash, not down the drain.

5. Running the Disposal Without the Water

Here's the proper process: turn on the cold water, turn on the disposal, put food down the disposal, turn off the disposal, and then turn off the water. Grinding food without running water will lead to clogs and put too much strain on the disposal grinder. Using cold water is important since it solidifies any fats in the food, rather than liquefying them and encouraging them to stick to the pipes and grinding mechanism.

To learn more about proper use and care of your garbage disposal, talk to a plumbing contractor, like one from Plumb Care Plumbing, in your local area.


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