You use your garbage disposal to reduce food waste in your trash bin, which can lower costs and help keep lingering odors at bay. However, when thinking of the health of your garbage disposal, it’s important to understand what can and cannot go down the drain.
What Is a Garbage Disposal, and How Does It Work?
A garbage disposal is an appliance that attaches to the drain pipe underneath your kitchen sink. The disposal has a reservoir for food to churn and mix while teeth or blades pulverize and shred the food, making it safe for the drainage system. You can safely toss most soft foods down the drain with cold water after turning the garbage disposal on. A disposal is generally hardwired to a switch near the sink.
Cleaning the garbage disposal is as easy as tossing a couple of ice cubes down the drain. You might also use dish soap with cold water or small pieces of citrus peel.
8 Things to Keep Out of Your Garbage Disposal
Although many foods are perfectly safe to place in your garbage disposal, there are some items that can harm the appliance and your plumbing system and should be disposed of some other way. Remembering these eight things can make a world of difference in keeping your garbage disposal running smoothly. By keeping them out of the disposal, you can avoid an emergency call to your plumber or even worse, the need for a new garbage disposal and drain repairs.
1. Grease, Fat, and Oil
Grease and oil are never safe for your plumbing system. Liquid grease turns into a solid as it cools and will harden inside your drain, garbage disposal, or pipes. This hardened grease creates an obstruction inside your system and can pick up other foreign materials over time to create a complete clog. Solid fat and grease are just as harmful and should never be put down the drain. The same goes for extremely greasy or fatty foods. These food items should be thrown away rather than put down the drain to prevent the fat from separating and settling in the pipes. To deal with hot liquid grease, pour it into a disposable container and let it cool, then toss it in the trash.
2. Animal Bones
Animal bones are often extremely hard and rigid and can be sharp and irregular in shape. Their structure makes them hard on your garbage disposal, and they can damage the blades. Too much stress on the blades can lead to stress on the motor, which could cause the component to fail. The irregular shape of the bones can create a hazard of getting stuck in the drain or disposal, leading to a blockage in your plumbing system. Finally, the sharp ends of bones can scrape against the walls of the pipes and puncture them, creating holes for water to leak out. Remember that animal bones can be harmful to your pets as well. Toss them in the trash.
3. Eggshells
Eggshells themselves are not all that harmful to your garbage disposal. However, there is a sticky membrane lining the inside of the shells. This membrane can stick inside your garbage disposal, wrapping around the blades and clogging up against the walls of the appliance. It may also stick inside your pipes. This membrane has the potential to pull other food items into it, creating buildup inside the plumbing system. You can use eggshells for compost or toss them in the trash.
4. Starchy Foods
Starchy foods become sticky when wet and can gunk up your drains. These foods, such as potatoes, rice, pasta, and baked goods made with flour, create a major clogging hazard for your plumbing system. Throw them into the trash.
5. Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds may seem harmless, but they are actually a substance that plumbers commonly see inside clogged drains. Coffee grounds clump together when wet, forming a blob inside your drain or garbage disposal. As they dry, they harden as a solid mass, leading to a blockage in your system. Coffee grounds can be safely thrown in the trash or used for compost to avoid damage to your plumbing system.
6. Fibrous Fruits and Vegetables
Stringy fruits and vegetables, such as banana peels, celery, asparagus, rhubarb, and corn husks, have fibrous strands that can detach and stick inside your garbage disposal. These fibrous strands often wrap around the blades inside your appliance. When they do this, it can cause the blades more stress as they turn, slowing down the system. It can also damage the motor of your device by causing it to work harder in an attempt to turn the blades. Fruit and vegetable scraps are great for feeding to the critters outdoors, excellent for your compost pile, and safe to simply throw away.
7. Raw Meat
Leftover cooked meat is generally safe for your garbage disposal, especially if cut into small pieces. Raw meat, however, should not be put down the drain. Raw meat is tougher than cooked meat and can create stress on your garbage disposal as it tries to turn it into mush. Additionally, if raw meat gets stuck in the drain, disposal, or pipes, it could rot, resulting in foul odors and harmful bacteria and contaminants inside your system.
8. Non-Food Items
Non-food items are never safe for your garbage disposal. You may think that toilet paper would be harmless since you can flush it down the toilet, but it is not safe for the disposal. Paper products including toilet tissues, paper towels, and wipes can get stuck in the disposal and wrap around the blades. Paper products may also stick inside the pipes and clog your drain. Other common non-food items plumbers often see in clogged drains include food wrappers and produce stickers. Always remember to remove the stickers before peeling and washing fruits and vegetables, and never mix wrappers and other packaging items in with discarded food when putting it down the drain. As a general rule of thumb, if it isn’t edible, it isn’t safe for your garbage disposal.
Keep your garbage disposal healthy and running as it should to protect your plumbing system. Our plumbers at Magic Electric, Plumbing, Heating + Air can provide top-tier service for your garbage disposal, helping to keep your plumbing system clean and free-flowing. We also provide drain cleaning, leak detection, and household plumbing. In addition, our plumbers can help with water heaters and water treatment services in your home in Idaho’s Magic Valley or Treasure Valley. We also have a dedicated team of electricians to provide skilled repair services, generator services, and other electrical work that your home needs to remain powered. Finally, our technicians offer expert heating and cooling services to provide repairs, maintenance, and installation of your furnace and air conditioner. For all your home services, we are your premier electrical, plumbing, and HVAC company.
If you need help with the appliance in your home in Boise, Jerome, or Twin Falls, ID, count on our trusted experts at Magic Electric, Plumbing, Heating + Air.
