What Not to Put in a Garbage Disposal
Nothing beats the satisfaction that comes with disposing of food scraps with the flip of a switch. While garbage disposals make it easy for us to dispose of food waste, they are not meant to handle everything. There are several items you should never try to get rid of via your garbage disposal.
Here at Mr. Rooter Plumbing, we’ve put together a list of things you should not put down your garbage disposal. If you’re in need of garbage disposal repair or garbage disposal replacement, you can rely on our team of experienced plumbers to get the job done right.
Here are 13 things you should never put in the garbage disposal:
Garbage disposals are not equipped to handle hard bones from meat or poultry. These can damage the blades and motor, leading to costly repairs. Bones are better off in the trash.
The stringy fibers in celery can wrap around the disposal blades and cause clogs and blockages. Celery leftovers should be thrown onto a compost heap.
While they might seem harmless, coffee grounds can accumulate and create a sludgy mess in your pipes over time. Do not let coffee grounds fool you. They are among the worst things you can put in your garbage disposal.
The thin membrane inside eggshells can get caught in the disposal, and the shells themselves can contribute to clogs. This same rule applies to seafood shells.
The tough pits from fruits like peaches and cherries can damage the disposal's grinding mechanism.
Pouring grease down the disposal can lead to blockages and even damage your plumbing as it solidifies. The tricky thing about grease and oil is that they will eventually solidify and build up inside the pipes.
Expandable foods like pasta can swell in the presence of water, potentially causing blockages in your pipes. The stickiness of pasta is problematic for the drains.
While thin potato peels can easily slip past the disposal, you should never make it a habit to put them down your garbage disposal. These starchy peels can create a gummy paste when ground up, sticking to the disposal and pipes.
Hard nuts like almonds or walnuts have tough exteriors, which can damage the blades and create blockages.
Foods like corn husks, artichokes, and onion skins can wrap around the blades and impede their movement.
Make sure you remove any produce stickers before putting food scraps down the garbage disposal. The adhesive on stickers can gum up the disposal and cause problems.
Fatty chicken skin can leave behind greasy residue and contribute to clogs and unpleasant odors. As with bones, chicken skin should go into your household waste.
It goes without saying that non-food items do not belong in the garbage disposal. Never use your disposal as a trash can for non-food items like paper, plastic, or glass. These can cause serious damage.
Contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing Today For Garbage Disposal Services
Perhaps you’re looking to upgrade your garbage disposal, or perhaps your unit is broken and needs repair. When you’re in need of garbage disposal services, it’s best to work with a skilled and experienced plumber. At Mr. Rooter Plumbing, we offer professional garbage disposal services, including garbage disposal repair and garbage disposal replacement. If you’re looking for a reputable plumbing service to help you with any of your garbage disposal needs, the expert plumbers at Mr. Rooter Plumbing are here to help.
