Garbage Disposals are quite the handy appliance. They chop up and wash away food scraps, which saves you the trouble of putting that excess food into the trash. However, you must be careful of what you decide to toss down your disposal to keep it running properly. By knowing these do’s and don’ts for your garbage disposal, you’ll save time and money by having a properly working appliance.

Disposal Do’s:

  • Items like small chicken and fish bones, egg shells, and small food waste are fine to put down your disposal. Anything larger that doesn’t appear to be able to be easily chopped by disposal blades could present a problem.
  • There’s nothing worse than that terrible, reeking trash smell coming from your kitchen sink. To help avoid that dreaded smell, pour a small amount of dish soap down the drain and run the disposal for approximately a minute (while the water is running, of course!).
  • Running cold water anytime the disposal is on helps wash away and prevent the buildup of grease and oil that can constrain your disposal’s function.
  • Run the disposal regularly. This will help prevent a number of issues from smell and obstructions to rust and corrosion.

Disposal Don’ts:

  • Non-food items should never go in the garbage disposal. Glass, plastic, rubber, bone (other than small fish or chicken bones), are all no-nos.
  • Additionally, don’t dispose of any chemicals other than simple dish soap. Chemicals can corrode the plumbing and present serious health issues.
  • Don’t overwhelm your disposal. Large food items, items that are not easily chopped by the disposal blades, and gritty items like coffee grounds, could damage your appliance.

A garbage disposal can be a huge help in the kitchen if you know the do’s and don’ts. But if you encounter any problems with your garbage disposal, contact Ben Franklin Plumbing to resolve the issue ASAP!