If you have a garbage disposal for your kitchen sink, you know it can be a real time saver when it comes to cleaning up after a meal — if it’s maintained properly. Below are some great tips to make sure your garbage disposal runs smoothly. Keep reading to learn more from the experts at Best Plumbing!
Garbage Disposal Do’s
- Always run cold water when using your garbage disposal. You want food particles to get flushed down the drain instead of caught up in the unit. Using cold water helps ensure that any fat or grease in the food stays solidified so that it doesn’t stick to the walls of your pipes or clog up the disposal trap.
- Run your disposal regularly to avoid build-up. About once a month, pour a little dish soap inside and run the disposal with cold water to help remove any grime that might have accumulated. To keep the blades sharp, periodically dump ice cubes in the unit and run it until the ice is gone.
- Garbage disposals work best to clean up small amounts of food waste, such as when doing the dishes. Large amounts of food waste should be placed in the composting bin, not flushed down the drain.
Garbage Disposal Don’ts
- Don’t pour liquid grease, fat, or oil down your sink! It will coat the inside of the disposal and drain and can cause blockages once it cools down and solidifies.
- Don’t put non-food scrapes down your disposal. Things like paper, chemicals, cigarette butts, etc. can damage the disposal blades and motor. Non-food waste should go in the trash or recycling.
- Don’t grind extremely fibrous scrapes, such as onion skins or celery stalks. The fibers can get tangled in the blades and cause a jam. Starchy materials like potato peels are also best avoided — the combination of water and grinding can turn them into a glue-like paste.
