A garbage disposal device is what you use to get rid of tiny bits of food scraps and leftovers, leaving your kitchen looking and smelling great. However, it can also be a time-consuming, expensive and head-throbbing plumbing issue if you don’t have the right crushing machine.
It is only through countless years of experience that we now know how to take better care of the appliance. So if you’re the one who constantly runs into an array of plumbing issues with your garbage disposal unit, this is just the article for you.
Once you’re finished with this elaborative read, you can save up on time and expenditure and ensure your disposal unit runs for many more years.
Garbage Disposal Do’s
1. Use Lots of Water
It’s absolutely pivotal to run water through your garbage disposal in order to keep it running smoothly. It’s especially helpful to flush down bits of food to make sure they don’t end up getting stuck.
2. Use Dish Soap
Soap is essential to clean out grease, grime, and gunk that may end up getting stuck in your garbage disposal unit. Just squeeze a bit of dishwashing soap in your hand, turn on your disposal unit and run cold water through it for about 15 seconds.
3. Run Cold Water Through Your Unit
It might seem ironic considering how often people use hot water for washing and cleaning, but it serves a specific purpose when it comes to garbage disposals. Coldwater coagulates oil and fats, which in turn, makes it easier for your disposal unit to break down. Hot water, on the other hand, causes both oil and fats to solidify further down the pipelines, thereby causing them to clog.
4. Follow Instruction Manual
If you’ve got yourself new garbage disposal, it might not be the same as the last one. That’s why you should always go through the user manual that comes with the product.
5. Use Citrus Items for Freshness
Even the best garbage disposal units end up becoming smelly when you constantly use them. To remedy this problem, pour citrus items such as lemon juice, orange or lemon peels into the unit to freshen up the smell.
6. Let Water Run After Using
Once you’ve used your garbage disposal, let the water run through it for a minute or so to flush out any of the remaining food scraps or particles hanging on to the blades of your unit. This method can go a long way to prevent the formation of clogs in the long-run.
Garbage Disposal Don’ts
1. Putting Hard Food Items
Shrimp shells, animal bones or even nuts are just some of the hard did items that are too much for your disposal blades to grind. So instead, you should consider dumping these items into the trash.
2. Using Corrosive Chemicals
Harsh cleaners like bleach can both corrode and damage your disposal’s plumbing. So use gentler methods to keep the disposal clean.
3. Putting Items That Aren’t Food
Any non-food related items such as wood, metal, glass, and sponges must never be dropped into the garbage disposal unit.
4. Pouring Oils and Fats
Oils and fats harden when gone down the drain. That’s why it’s best to avoid putting them into the drain at all costs.
5. Dropping Fibrous Food
There are food items that must never be thrown into the garbage disposal, especially those with stringy parts or fibrous texture such as lettuce, potatoes, celery, onion skins and more. These types of food can get caught in the disposal blades, so it’s better to throw them into the trash.
6. Putting in Eggshells
Eggshells are also a big no-no as they can hold on to the disposal blades and prevent them from functioning properly. So instead, put the eggshells in either the trash bin or compost.
7. Putting Large Amounts of Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds are a big fat no. Small amounts of this could end up putting a bad smell in your disposal. Putting in large amounts at once, however, will lead to clogs.
8. Putting in Pasta or Rice
Foods such as pasta or rice expand when they absorb water. Once this happens, it will clog up the drain pipe.
Clean Your Garbage Disposal With Ice
Instead of wasting money in calling your local plumber to clean and maintain your disposal unit, it’s best to do it yourself. If you feel confident, then use ice to get the job done. It’s the cheapest and most effective way to clean your garbage disposal, sharpen its blades and grind any grease buildup that may have accumulated over the passage of time. All you need to do is toss in a few ice cubes and turn your disposal unit on. Once the appliance chops the ice, they will spread to all of the hard-to-reach areas and then melt the grease buildup down the drain.
So if you’re looking for a garbage disposal that is not only effective at grinding tough food scraps, is reliable and quite merciful on your wallet, you need to get a badger garbage disposal.
