Never Place Theses Things Down Your Garbage Disposal

Our poor garbage disposals are often so mistreated. Homeowners tend to put any and everything down them we can; we call them Garbage Disposal No-Nos. They get the abuse of the flowers given after a bad break up. They choke on the accidental spoon and more. Garbage disposals do a lot for us, and we have got to be kinder to them, or they… well, they get clogged or break.

Silliness aside, we are almost all guilty of placing things in the disposal that should go into the trash. Some you probably know, and others might surprise you. At Flow Pros Plumbing, we are here to repair any accidental “no-no” damage. However, if you keep these things away from the disposal, you will have fewer clogs and breakdowns.

Egg Shells

Does this one surprise you? It does most. Some say eggshells sharpen the blades. However, the membranes can get wrapped around the blades or get stuck to the sides of your pipes. So it is best to peel eggs over the trash or put them in your compost pile.

Potato Peels

Another shocker? Well, there is some disagreement over this one, but here is the agreement. The peels are starchy and will add to the sludge causing clogs in the interior of your pipes. Here again, the compost pile would love to receive those peels.

Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds may look like finely ground particles, and they are. So what’s the issue? When dumped into the disposal after brewing a fresh pot, the coffee’s oils cause the grounds to clump. Coffee grounds are another clog-making source we often think harmless.

Onion Skins

Did you know the onion’s paper-like skins can wrap around the blades or miss them altogether? Think about how hard it is to cut an onion with a dull knife, and there is your answer. When they pass whole through the pipes, they can cause a clog or back up quickly. Best to trash them.

Stringy Vegetables

Veggies like corn husks, banana peels, celery, and asparagus have fibrous stings that can wrap around the mechanism and stop the blades from turning. This can even cause motor burn out. Flower stems of stringy flowers will do the same.

Pasta and Rice

You may not have thought about how rice and pasta expand in water. When placed in the disposal with hot water, they will do just that and contribute to clogs. However, if you rinse it down with cold water, it will help. Just try not to get it in there in the first place.

Animal Bones

Bones are way too hard for your disposal. They are designed to be challenging to break. What people don’t know is the “blades” are really not blades at all. They are paddles that chum and move the food on down the disposal. They are not meant to pulverize bones. So, throw those in the trash can instead.

Pits, Shells, and Nuts

These are some of the accidental items that get into the garbage disposal. They may seem softish and small, but they can do much damage. Think of them like wood or a stick. You wouldn’t put sticks in the disposal, and so you shouldn’t put pits, shells, and nuts there either. Not to mention, placing nuts in the disposal makes a nut butter of sorts. You know how sticky that can be, and it will almost definitely contribute to clogs.

 Oil and Grease

All right, let’s stop this one right away. It is possibly the worst one. Yes, it is a liquid and should go straight down. But, as the grease and oil cool, where it stops in the pipes, it will congeal and stay. The best practice for your disposal is to keep an old coffee ground or shortening container under the sink. Then you can quickly pour it into the can and throw it away when hardened and full.

Avoid Those Garbage Disposal No-Nos

For the good of that hard-working appliance in your kitchen, take care of it by avoiding the “no-no’s” we have listed. A bit of appliance care goes a long way in keeping it working in tip-top shape.

Additionally, there are disposal cleaning tabs that will clean out your disposal and help it stay clog-free. However, should a problem arise, call your local plumbing company to come out and fix it. The professionals at Flow Pros Plumbing are ready to help remove gunk, clogs, and accidental no-no’s from your system.

Call Flow Pros to schedule an appointment for a maintenance plan or a service call today.