How to Take Good Care of Your Garbage Disposal

by Kevin Smith Author

Your garbage disposal works hard. It is an important part of your kitchen, so you should take good care of it. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

Daily Care

The little things you do every day will have a big impact on the overall performance of your garbage disposal. Using cold water instead of hot will help the food stay hardened so the disposal can break it up easier. You should run the disposal regularly. Letting it sit unused can cause the parts to rust or corrode.

Never put anything besides food waste into the disposal and break the waste up into small pieces before pushing it down. You should never put bones or large pits or seeds in a disposal. Avoid putting grease, fat, oil, pasta, expandable food, potato skins, and rice into the disposal as well.

Cleaning

Keeping your disposal clean is a great step to help it work properly. After using it you can run a very small amount of dish soap and cold water through it to help dislodge debris and clean it. Throwing small pieces of citrus fruit rinds will help clean out your disposal and eliminate any unpleasant smells. The peels of oranges, lemons, and limes are all great choices, so put them at the disposal, not the trash. Never reach into a garbage disposal while it is running, even with a rag or long utensil, these could become entangled in seconds and pull your hand or fingers into the blades.

For deep cleaning, there are several methods you can use involving ice cubes and kosher salt, baking soda, vinegar, dish soap, and more. It is important to keep the visible part of the disposal clean as well so make it a habit to scrub the drain with soap and a rag or sponge when you do the dishes. It is a good idea to run cold water while you use the disposal and for a minute after to help particles flush through the pipes.

Maintenance

Besides cleaning and making good choices for the operation of your disposal, you will want to have a plan in case it doesn’t work well or needs repair. You should find local plumbers in Kennesaw, GA that are experienced with disposals to come help you should you need it.

Another benefit of working with plumbers in Kennesaw, GA is that you have a great ally to assist you if you need to install a new garbage disposal when the time comes.