Garbage disposals are a great appliance that makes life easier when it comes to cleaning up the kitchen. If you love to cook, then it’s likely you make regular use of the garbage disposal and have come to rely on it for grinding up food scraps. Unfortunately, when the wrong items are put in the disposal, it will stop working. Our Phoenix plumbers recommend these tips for keeping your garbage disposal in great shape:
Your Disposal Is Not Your Garbage Can
Unless you have an industrial disposal, then you should use your kitchen disposal for food scraps that are easy to grind up like citrus rinds, vegetable scraps that aren’t too fibrous, soft meat scraps, and fruit. If you have large amounts of food debris that will require you to continuously run the disposal, you should put it in the garbage can instead.
These Food Scraps Will Clog Your Disposal
There are certain foods that aren’t good candidates for grinding in the garbage disposal. Coffee grounds, grease, banana peels, bones and fruit pits all put a lot of stress on the blades. It might surprise you, but pasta, rice and other starchy vegetables can clog up the works too.
Non-food Items Belong In The Trash
Believe it or not, cigarettes, paper and plastic bags do not belong in the garbage disposal. Take care to remove the grocery stickers from fruit and vegetable peels since they will get stuck in the blades.
Use These Maintenance Tips To Keep It Running Smoothly
There are a variety of ways to clean your garbage disposal and keep it smelling fresh. You should check your manufacturer’s guide for specific details, but many people use ice to clear their garbage disposal of any small food bits. Baking soda, white vinegar or a drop of dish soap can do the trick too.
There are times when you will need a plumber to fix your garbage disposal. Whether you’ve got a clog or a leak in your unit, we can handle it. Contact us for all of your garbage disposal service needs today.
