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What Can I put in my garbage disposal?

  • Written by NewsCo

Knowing what you can and can't bring down the garbage disposal can be frustrating. You must know what is safe to bring into your garbage disposal and what can be avoided in order to prevent it from being clogged or cracking. You will extend the life of your garbage disposal and keep it going smoothly by properly disposing of food waste.

What Is the Purpose of a Garbage Disposal?

A garbage disposal is a device that shreds food waste into very small fragments that would not clog pipes. It's a good idea to sweep and run your garbage disposal on a daily basis. It's also important to run cold water through the disposal to solidify any grease or oils, allowing them to be ground as well. Basically, don't grind something that isn't biodegradable if you're using a garbage disposal.

If your garbage disposal does act up despite your careful usage, Perth block drain plumbers can help you.

What Would You Put in the Garbage Disposal?

Citrus rinds: Citrus rinds are a natural way to clean your drainage and leave your drain smelling good. It may sound surprising to hear that putting the rinds of oranges and other citrus fruits into your garbage disposal is beneficial. They not only disinfect the disposal naturally, but they also leave it smelling good and new.

Coffee grounds: There are conflicting opinions on this one, but we don't mind if you flush a tiny quantity of coffee grounds down the toilet. However, don't use too many because it will build up in the pipes and trigger a clog or backup. This is due to the oil that can be found in the coffee beans.

Small bones: Bones are difficult to break down in a garbage disposal, so we recommend that you throw them away rather than putting them down there. However, if you accidentally drop a little bone into the garbage disposal, it's normally not a big deal and can grind up without having any issues.

Wet pet/dog food: This isn't normally an issue in our home, so if your cat or dog leaves uneaten canned food in their dish, it's perfectly fine to throw it out.

Things you shouldn't put in garbage disposal:

Grease, fats, and oils: Fats, oils, and grease can never go down the toilet, or any drain for that matter, according to our experts. They may start out as liquids, but they will inevitably congeal and create clogs in the water supply further downstream.

Pasta, rice, and bread: What do the three of these things have in common? They both accumulate and expand water, which can quickly clog a pipe. Don't be concerned if a little extra spaghetti ends up in the garbage disposal, just don't pour pasta into the garbage disposal on a regular basis. If you would put pasta, flour, or bread down the disposal, do so for at least 30 seconds and then flush the grains down the drain with cold water to prevent them from spreading. Oats and any other grain that absorbs water are in the same boat.

Oatmeal: Oatmeal, like pasta, is a potential expansion hazard. Uncooked oats, in fact, are more likely to pass through the disposal unnoticed, collecting and spreading down-line. (Think about something that oatmeal should be used for besides eating.) They'll finally drain back to the sewer if you're lucky. If you aren't, it might be time to brush up on your professional drain-cleaning skills.

Onion Layers: While sliced onions will quickly go into the garbage disposal, the outermost layer is what you should be concerned with. The membrane that lies just under the dry skin will move through the disposal, either obstructing or wrapping around the blade's grinder. It may also get lodged in the drain and act as a net, trapping other objects.

Most onion waste, whether chopped, sliced, or in chunks, should be easy to dispose of. The issue stems from the thin membrane that lies just underneath the onion's dried, outermost crust. Before the onion is sliced and thrown out, the thin, wet layer is often discarded. However, since the film is so thin, it can slip through the blades of the disposal and end up wedged in the pipe, where it behaves like a cargo net on a pickup, trapping and locking further objects in place.

Maintenance Tips for Garbage Disposals

The garbage disposal is relatively simple to maintain. When it's in operation, and for 30 seconds after it's done grinding fruit, you can still run cold water through it. This ensures that all food particles are flushed down the toilet and do not end up in the garbage disposal.

You will completely appreciate the ease of rinsing food waste straight down the drain so that you know what you can and shouldn't bring down a garbage disposal.