The invention of the garbage disposal has saved many a chef from having to pull out all the stops to prevent food from going down the drain, or worse, putting their hands down the sink to remove food that would otherwise stop up the drain. These garbage disposal care tips will help to keep your disposal running consistently and effectively for a long time.
Effective Disposal Maintenance Goes a Long Way
Keep your kitchen running smoothly with these disposal maintenance tasks. Some you can fit into your daily routine while others will take a few minutes every couple of weeks.
- Always run the disposal with a strong flow of cold water.
- Make sure to turn the water on first and then the disposal.
- When shutting off the disposal, leave the water running for a few seconds.
- Grind food in small batches.
- Pour a little dish soap down the drain while running the disposal to keep it clean.
- Alternatively, use vinegar to clean the system.
- Pour some ice cubes down the disposal to sharpen the blades. You can kill two birds with one stone by making vinegar ice cubes.
- Toss half a lemon, cut up into wedges, into the disposal to take care of foul odors naturally.
- Know what foods are proper to grind up in the disposal, such as soft cucumber or apple peel.
Remember These Don’ts
It’s just as important to know what you should not do with the garbage disposal, as avoiding the steps below will prevent damage to the device.
- Never put fibrous foods down the drain, such as banana peels, potatoes or celery. These foods will expand and/or have fibers that will become tangled up in the blades.
- Don’t overload the disposal. Too much food all at once will damage the motor.
- Never run the disposal without also running the water.
- Don’t use the disposal as a catch-all for getting rid of hazardous chemicals, paints, etc.
- Keep grease and fats out of the disposal. Even if they’re in liquid form when poured down the sink, when they cool off, they’ll harden. You’ll soon find yourself with clogged pipes.
- Never put bones from meat or pits from fruit into the disposal. The hard objects will damage the motor and dull the blades.
For more information about garbage disposal care tips or any other home plumbing problems, contact one of our experts. For answers to your questions, contact the Pink Plumber today.
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