The Dos and Don’ts of Garbage Disposal

It comes as no surprise when the average American is known to produce over 21.5 million tons of food waste in a year.

Not all of the food waste goes straight into the trash. Most of it tends to often go down the drain when doing the dishes.

A garbage disposal can prove to be a mighty great appliance for an average household. With its ability to break down and discard food remains, it keeps your drain clog-free.

However, if not maintained, it can end up becoming something from a plumbing nightmare. One of the most common mistakes that people often tend to make is not to keep up with their maintenance.

However, there are many more things that can lead to a damaged garbage disposal.

The “Dos” of garbage disposal

Here are a few “dos” you should consider when it comes to garbage disposal:

• Keep your garbage disposal clean; you can do this by pouring in some dish soap and run it for a minute or two under cold water.
• Run your garbage disposal on a regular basis; this will prevent rust and corrosion from attacking your appliance.
• Cut large pieces into small ones; instead of overloading the disposal all at once, you can put in small pieces at a time to make sure it works efficiently.
• Run cold water over food waste; this will solidify grease and oils and allow it to break down, instead of clogging the disposal.

The “Don’ts” of garbage disposal

Before you move on to knowing the big “don’ts” of garbage disposal, our strongly advise against non-disposable products down these appliances. This is one of the major factors that allows the appliance to wear down before its time.

Here are some don’ts that you should pay attention to:

• Anything combustible should be kept away from the garbage disposal.
• Grease or oil must not be allowed down the appliance; this will not allow the parts to work properly, they will instead accumulate and clog.
• Avoid turning off the water when the disposal is turned on. Turn off the water after about 15 minutes of grinding.
• Harsh chemicals such as bleach must be avoided at all times; this is because it often damages the blades and other parts of the disposal.
• Fibrous materials such as celery stalks down the disposal must be avoided at all times; the fibers tend to tangle up with the parts.

Apart from these, you need to make sure you hire the right plumber to handle all your garbage disposal repairs. Instead of looking around, you can simply contact us and we’ll provide you with professional plumbers to handle all your plumbing needs.