Few household appliances enjoy the nearly universal love bestowed upon the humble garbage disposal. It takes care of your freshest, smelliest garbage in the blink of an eye, with a cool sound and throaty rumble, and once that food disappears, it’s like it was never there. It’s almost like magic!
The thing is, though, it’s not magic. Your garbage disposal is a complex little machine at the mouth of one end of your home’s drainage system. If used improperly, it can cause a world of hurt to your home’s plumbing system. It doesn’t take much to do severe damage and initiate a costly repair, either.
On the bright side, proper use of a garbage disposal is pretty easy to get the hang of, and even easier to stick to, once you know these helpful garbage disposal tips.
Don’t do any of the following things. Seriously, NONE of them:
- DON’T put your hand in a garbage disposal to remove a clog. Ever. Use tongs, a wooden spoon, or a flexible spatula.
- DON’T put potato peels down your garbage disposal. The peels will turn to paste, and you’ll need a new appliance.
- DON’T use hot water when grinding garbage. Use cool water instead, which rinses grease and refreshes your disposal blades in ways hot water does not.
- DON’T overload your disposal. If you’ve got a bunch of food to put down it, take it slow, put in a little a time, and cut up larger pieces.
- DON’T attempt to grind up animal bones, metal, paper, plastic, or drain chemicals.
- DON’T forget to use your garbage disposal regularly. Using it more often prevents corrosion.
And if you screw up any of the above, DON’T SWEAT IT! Just get in touch with us at Davis Plumbing & Drain Service. We’re here to help.