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When it comes to keeping your garbage disposal working as well as it can, there’s really just one golden rule: Don’t put anything in it that isn’t biodegradable. Remember that it’s for food scraps – it’s not a trash can. Following are a few other tips to help ensure our garbage disposal works great for years to come.
If you do have trouble, reach out to Econo West Heating Air & Plumbing at (661) 947-2653 for help.
We mean it – don’t put non-food in your garbage disposal
It bears repeating because it is the number one reason people come to us for garbage disposal repairs: Don’t put non-food in your garbage disposal. This includes:
- Glass
- Metal
- Paper
- Plastic
- Anything that’s combustible
- Cigarette butts
- Grease
- Oil
- Fat
This is just a partial list. If you’re not sure about something, then it’s best to assume that you need to throw it away instead of grinding it.
Skip the hot water
While you should never pour straight grease down your garbage disposal, it’s likely that you’ll put some food in there that is greasy. If you use hot water, then it can make that grease turn to liquid – which can then accumulate and clog your drain.
Throw away the fibrous foods
Some people take it to heart that if it’s food then it can be put in the garbage disposal. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. There are several types of foods that shouldn’t be put in the garbage disposal, including fibrous foods like celery, the skins off of onions, corn husks, and artichokes. These fibers can get all tangled up, which can jam your garbage disposal and lead to a clogged drain.
Keep the water going
You likely know that you need to keep the water running while you’re running your garbage disposal, but did you know that you should leave it on until the motor is completely done? When it’s done, turn off the garbage disposal first, let the water run for at least 15 seconds, and then you can turn off the water. This ensures that anything remaining is flushed out.
Too much of anything is a bad thing
You don’t want to put huge amounts of any food in your garbage disposal. Instead, feed it food a little at a time. Turn the cold water on, run the disposal, and when it’s handled it all, then add more. Coldwater helps the water run, and be sure that you don’t put too many potato peels down at once – there’s a lot of starch in them, which can turn to a paste and stick to the blades.
Anything that expands shouldn’t be put down
Any food that can expand, like rice or pasta, shouldn’t be put at your disposal if they haven’t been cooked yet. After all, you know what rice does when it soaks up water – it can do the same thing in your pipes.
If you’ve had any type of plumbing issue then your next call should be to Econo West Heating Air & Plumbing at (661) 947-2653.