New To Garbage Disposals? Don't Make These Mistakes
Having a garbage disposal for the first time can be so nice. You will have so much less food waste to throw away, and you won't have stinky garbage sitting in your trash can. As you adapt to using your garbage disposal, however, there are a few things you want to avoid doing. People who make the following mistakes usually do so unknowingly and with the best intentions, but they end up with damaged or suffering garbage disposals.
Mistake #1: Running the garbage disposal without running water.
Saving water is important. Clean water is a limited resource. So, in an effort to conserve water, some people don't turn on the tap when they use the garbage disposal. This might work sometimes, but it is really hard on the grinding mechanism of your garbage disposal. It will wear out prematurely, and you may also get a lot of clogs comprised of larger food chunks. Always turn on the water when running your garbage disposal, and you'll find yourself calling your plumber less often.
Mistake #2: Putting grease and greasy foods down the disposal.
Grease should never go down the drain, and most people know that. But people often assume that having a garbage disposal changes this rule. They think the garbage disposal may grind up the grease and make it a non-issue. Sadly, this is not how it works. The grease will still stick to the grinding mechanism and the sides of the pipes, leading to blockages and clogs. If you have something greasy, such as an oily sauce or some buttery residue, scrape it into the trash rather than sending it down the disposal.
Mistake #3: Putting fibrous foods down the disposal.
Garbage disposals are powerful and can grind up a lot of stuff. However, you should not put fibrous foods down the garbage disposal. The fibers can get wound around the grinding mechanism and cause it to seize up. Celery, asparagus, and rhubarb are all foods that have these strings and fibers in them and can lead to these issues. Keep them out of your disposal unless they've been cut up into little pieces. (A few scraps of chopped celery, for instance, may be okay to put down the disposal.)
Garbage disposals are quite effective at getting rid of waste. However, you do need to be careful about how you use them. Avoid the mistakes above, and you won't have to make as many calls to the plumber for repairs.
Share