Top Garbage Disposal Dos and Donts

If you have been having trouble with your garbage disposal, it might have to do with how you use it and what you are attempting to grind up. The following dos and don'ts will help you keep it in good working condition and reduce how many repairs are needed.

Do: Cut up items into smaller pieces

If you are placing food items into the garbage disposal that are on the bigger side, take a moment to cut them up into smaller pieces. This will prevent the disposal blades from getting damaged trying to cut up the big pieces. It puts much less stress on the blades, which can then prolong the life of the disposal. Keeping a kitchen knife or scissors near the sink is a good idea as it makes it easier to cut items for the disposal.

Don't: Put the wrong items down the drain

A very common mistake made by people who don't know better is putting anything and everything down the drain and expecting the garbage disposal to take care of it. Hard items like egg shells and potato skins are very difficult for the disposal to handle and can cause it to malfunction. Also never put any oil or grease down the drain, as this can stick to the sides of the drain, where it leads to a clog. Also never put anything combustible down the drain, along with cigarette butts, or paper items.

Do: Run the disposal on a regular basis

Even if you are not going to be cooking or washing dishes for a while, make a point to run the garbage disposal. Even if you don't put anything down the drain, run some cold water and let the blades run for several seconds. This is also a good time to put some lemon rinds down the drain and grind them up, cleaning the disposal in the process. If you wait too long, they might start to rust, which often requires replacing the disposal.

Don't: Use hot water with the disposal

It is easy to forget about the water temperature, since you are running the disposal as you are washing dishes. You often have the hot water turned on already, so you leave it on and turn the disposal on. Unfortunately, garbage disposals don't work well with hot water, since it causes any grease or oil to turn into liquid, then coat the drain and cause clogs. Always run the disposal with cold water.

If you're having trouble with your disposal, contact your local plumber.