A garbage disposal is a very convenient appliance, able to grind up food waste at the flip of a switch. However, it’s important not to get carried away with what you’re tossing into your disposal. Certain things can wreak havoc, leaving you with costly garbage disposal repair. To help you avoid this, we’ve compiled a list of things you should never put down a garbage disposal.
- Garbage: We hope this goes without saying, but just because it’s called a garbage disposal, that doesn’t mean it can handle garbage. It should probably be called a food waste disposal, because it can only handle food. Things like paper products and candy wrappers should never go into the disposal- using it as a trash compactor will result in needing a replacement disposal.
- Bones and fruit pits: Garbage disposals can’t grind up bones, avocado seeds, or peach pits, so they’ll just spin around the blades. Even if they break into pieces, they won’t make it through your pipes without causing problems.
- Fibrous Fruits and Vegetables: Pumpkin? No way! It will gum up the works, making the garbage disposal clogged to the point that even chemical drain cleaners can’t get through. Celery, asparagus, and corn husks can tangle around the blades of your disposal, and artichokes, edamame pods, fruit and vegetable peels can cause clogs.
- Shells: This goes for eggshells, seafood shells, nutshells- if it’s a shell, it shouldn’t go into the disposal. There’s actually some disagreement about eggshells, because some people do put them down the disposal. It’s risky to do so, though, because the shell’s membrane lining can stick to the disposal, wrap around the blades, and generally cause issues. The good news is that eggshells can be composted or used in your garden.
- Coffee grounds: Coffee grounds seem like they’d go easily down the disposal, but that is not the case. Instead, they accumulate in the drain and create a sludgy mess.
- Pasta, Rice, Oatmeal, and Potato Peels: significant amounts of these starchy foods are disastrous for a disposal. Pasta, oatmeal, and rice expand when exposed to water, so dumping them into the disposal or drain can cause clogging problems. Potato peels and other starchy vegetables turn into drain-clogging mush.
- Fats, Oils, and Grease: Grease and oil can slip right through your disposal and into your pipes, where they’ll congeal and make a nasty mess. This includes creamy foods like peanut butter and dairy.
If you need garbage disposal repair or you’re ready to have a disposal installed, call Hoover Electric. Hoover Electric, Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling has been serving customers in Southeast Michigan since 1980, offering courteous, professional service. Because we offer all the services you need for residential maintenance under one roof, we’re able to offer extremely competitive pricing while maintaining great customer service and guaranteed satisfaction. When you’re looking for top-quality electrical, plumbing, heating, or cooling services in Clinton Township, contact Hoover through our website or call 586-232-9204 today.
