Stop Putting These 7 Items Down Your Garbage Disposal
Garbage disposals are machines that many homeowners and renters enjoy as a quick and sanitary way to dispose of food. However, the vast majority of people are unaware that there are many “no no” items when it comes to garbage disposal usage. To maintain a functioning system, it is important to understand the proper etiquette. While many soft or liquid foods should have no problem being disposed, these are the top 7 items you should stop disposing right away:
1. Bones
When it comes to disposing hard items such as bones, it is better to stay on the safe side and toss them in the trash. The angle of the blades are not equipped to properly grind up bones and can potentially damage your disposal and lead to clogs.
2. Celery (fibrous vegetables)
It is important to never put fibrous vegetables down a garbage disposal. The tiny fibrous strings that make up these foods often wrap around disposal blades and break the device.
3. Coffee Grounds
The common misconception is that coffee grounds are acceptable to rinse down disposals as they help with odor. While they may reduce odor in the short-term, coffee grounds often clump together leaving a thick lumpy wad of paste that you do not want going down your drain lines.
4. Potato Peels
Who hasn’t peeled a few potatoes over the sink? Unfortunately, these seemingly harmless vegetables pose a risk for clog as they have a tendency to become gluey sludge in your drain pipes.
5. Pasta
If you regularly cook pasta you can attest to the swelling that occurs when it gets wet. Due to the fact that pasta, oats and rice continue to expand, even after cooking it is important to just toss them in the trash and avoid a potential clog.
6. Grease
As mentioned before, many liquids can safely be rinsed through a disposal; grease, however is excluded from that list. Grease and cooking oils harden when cooled leading to build up and blockages overtime. The easiest way to dispose of grease is to let it harden on a paper towel or spatula and then knock it into the trash.
7. Fruit Pits
Chopped fruit peelings are common food particles that people run through a disposal, helping with odor and easy clean up. Unfortunately, this does not apply to the fruit pits and cores as they can easily crack or break your disposal blades.
If you need a disposal installation, repair or have further questions about the safe practices of garbage disposals call the professionals at Harry Hayes Plumbing now at (904) 723-5609!