If you are fortunate enough to have the modern convenience of a garbage disposal, then you need to know how to take care of it. (Repair visits range from $60 to $300!) While most food scraps are safe to dump down the drain — citrus peels (great to deodorize a smelly drain), meat scraps, most peels, and skins — there are eight items that can cause problems when put down the drain.
First
Even if you are mindful of what goes down the disposal, you need to be able to run it properly. Never run the disposal dry. It relies on water to lubricate the blades and cool the motor. If you run a disposal dry eventually it will burn out or seize up. Run cool water while running the disposal and let the water run for 15 to 30 seconds after the blades stop to flush the debris down the pipes. If the disposal overheats, there is a reset button on the bottom along with space where you can use an allen wrench to move the blades back and/or forth to clear an obstruction.
Bones
If you are a fan of 90’s industrial rock the sound, although jarring, won’t immediately drive you crazy, but the bones won’t get broken up any time soon. There are specialty food grinders for bones, but your kitchen doesn’t have one. That will be apparent very soon. If you're persistent enough to get them down, they definitely won't make it down the drain pipes. A plumber will have to remove the J-trap and remove the blockage.
Celery
The same fibrous strings that end up as a cat’s cradle in your front teeth tend to tangle around the disposal's blades. This same rule applies to other fibrous things that are temping to put down the disposal like asparagus, corn husks, corn cobs, sticks, pencils, braids, and neck ties. It may be funny, but I wouldn’t mention it if someone had not done it.
Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds are tricky. The go right down the disposal, but they usually don’t go any further than that. They can cause a sludgy, sand-like mess in your drain. It is smart to use a little enzymatic drain opener occasionally to keep any organic residue building up in the J trap. Don’t use lye or draino. If you use a garbage disposal that is covered in caustic chemicals, you are going to end up with a new eyepatch and some interesting scars.
Fruit Pits
This is similar to bones, but with the possibility for more excitement. If you can’t chop it on the counter, the disposal won’t be able to chop it. It you decide to try it with an avocado pit, send me a video. You might make a homemade pitching machine
Grease
The grease is going to go right through the disposal and sit in the J trap until it congeals and clogs the pipe.
Pasta
Noodles, bowties, shells — whatever you like to eat can expand when exposed to water, even after you've fully cooked it. So whether you have a garbage disposal or not, you shouldn't dump it down the drain, where it'll swell and either fill the disposal trap or cause even bigger problems. The same goes for rice and quinoa.
Potato Peels
These are common to go down drains, but can cause a mess in your disposal down the road. You might be able to get away with dumping them down the drain from time to time, but be very careful and run the water for longer afterwards to make sure they are fully flushed down the drains. The same goes for other starchy vegetables and beans.
Appendages
Fingers, toes, hands, and noses are all not a good idea to put down a garbage disposal. It can cause serious injury. If the disposal is jammed, turn it off and use pliers to pull out any obstruction. A disposal can restart without notice and once it has tasted human flesh, it has to be dismantled. It can never be trusted again. Stay safe.
Article written by Bill Cahill, Property Manager, Realtor
