Tips for Garbage Disposal Care

As with any household appliance, garbage disposal care will prolong its life, often times helping it last over 10 years. Here are a few tips for the care and feeding of your garbage disposal:
1. Always run water before and after you grind food in the garbage disposal for proper drainage. If you forget to rinse, food trapped in the disposal will start to decay, causing a rather nasty stink in your kitchen.
2. Try to use only cold water when grinding your food in the disposal. The reason is that if there are any fats in the foods you grind up, they could melt in hot water, traveling through the pipes while cooling and eventually solidifying, causing a blockage.
3. Never use any chemicals such as drain cleaners or bleach in the garbage disposal as they may harm or reduce its operational capabilities, not to mention potentially harming the environment.

4. Never put cooked or uncooked rice or pasta in the garbage disposal much less egg shells, coffee grounds, bones or fibrous vegetables and other foods. These can reduce the operating capacity of the appliance.
5. If something gets stuck in your garbage disposal, try to refrain from using your hands to remove the item as the blades could harm you. Instead, use a pair of tongs to grab or loosen the item from the blades. However, take care when doing so as they may damage the blades of the disposal.
6. If your garbage disposal starts to smell, cut up a piece of lemon – you can also use Orange Peels – and feed it down the drain while the water is running. Or, grind up a few ice cubes along with rock salt and baking soda while running the water. Either practice should neutralize the odors from the disposal.

If you take care of your garbage disposal properly, you will be able to use it for years to come.

Questions about the care and feeding of your garbage disposal? Give us a call at (317) 859-9999.