Taking Care of Your Garbage Disposal

The garbage disposal is an essential part of most kitchens. This device allows you to get rid of food waste without leaving it to rot in your trash can. Without a working garbage disposal, you may end up having to walk back and forth to the dumpster every time you need to throw out food waste—that’s why it’s important to take good care of your garbage disposal. A well-maintained garbage disposal can last for years without any issues.

Read on to learn about some of the dos and don’ts of caring for a garbage disposal:

• Don’t pour grease or fat down the garbage disposal: You may have heard this before, but it’s important to avoid pouring grease down your disposal at all costs. Over time, grease will build up in your pipes, often resulting in drain clogs. Grease can also damage the garbage disposal itself over time.
• Clean your garbage disposal: Routinely cleaning your garbage disposal can help prevent unpleasant smells and the growth of harmful bacteria. One of the easiest ways to clean your garbage disposal is by pouring a little dish soap into it and turning it on. Be sure to keep the water running during the process. You could also use a combination of baking soda and vinegar to clean your garbage disposal.
• Run cold water while grinding food: When it’s time to use your garbage disposal, run cold water. Cold water will help cut away any grease left on the food waste. A steady flow of water also makes grinding food items much easier.
• Avoid large amounts of food: You shouldn’t throw all your food waste in the garbage disposal at once. This could overload your device and cause it to break. Instead, put food waste into the disposal piece by piece.
• Use your garbage disposal on a regular basis: While you don’t want to overuse your garbage disposal, it’s a good idea to use it regularly. Doing so will help prevent rust and the accumulation of food waste.
• Don’t try to grind food like rice, pasta or bread: Rice, pasta and bread can all expand inside your garbage disposal, often resulting in clogs. Avoid expensive repair bills and major damages by throwing these food items into your trash instead.
• Grind hard materials from time to time: Grinding food waste like eggshells and fish bones can actually help clean your garbage disposal. These items scour the sides of your garbage disposal, thus removing materials that have accumulated over time.
• Use proper judgement: If you don’t think you should grind a certain item, avoid putting it in your garbage disposal. This includes cigarette butts, paper, plastic and more.

As you can see, there’s a lot that goes into proper garbage disposal care. No matter how well you maintain your disposal, it can sometimes break. If there’s an issue with your disposal, be sure to contact a plumbing repair specialist right away. If you’re a Colorado Springs, CO resident in need of plumbing repairs, contact the experts at Affordable Rooter today.

Categorised in: Garbage Disposals

This post was written by Writer