Are you a new homeowner with your first garbage disposal? Maybe you just had to have a plumber install a new garbage disposal and you don’t want to deal with that again for awhile. Here is a list complied by expert local plumbers of the things you should NOT put in your disposal.
- Grease, Fats, Oils – Have you ever let bacon grease sit out overnight? What does it do? It solidifies, now think about that happening in your pipes. Unless you want to call us in the near future for a clogged pipe, we recommend avoiding putting fats in your drainage system.
- Egg shells – Many are unaware of this one, however egg shells can cause a big headache when putting them in your garbage disposal. The stringy membrane of an egg will wrap itself around the garbage disposal and eventually result in a clogged kitchen drain.
- Pasta, Rice, Potatoes – You should avoid putting any food with a lot of starch in your garbage disposal. Over time these items will build up in your pipes and can result in clogged pipes.
- Bones – This one should be easy, but avoid bones at all cost. Garbage disposals are not strong enough to break down bones, and you will end up needing your disposal repaired and/or replaced by a local plumber.
- Stringy Food – Avoid foods like celery, onion peels, lettuce, etc These items easily get wrapped around your disposal and cause a big headache. At best you’re looking at a call for a repair and depending on how old your unit is a total replacement.
- Pits and seeds – Trust us when we say the pit will 100% not make it through your garbage disposal if it’s dropped down there. If you by accident drop a pit down your sink, make sure your disposal is turned OFF before reaching down there to retrieve the pit.
- Coffee grounds – This is another one you won’t normally think of. However over time coffee grounds can quickly wear down the blades of your disposal. This premature wear could result in unnecessary repairs and replacements if not watched.
If you’re lucky enough to have a garbage disposal make sure you take care of it. Putting any of the above listed items in your unit could result in clogged drains or broken garbage disposals and require a call to us at Elkton Plumbing.