Don’t Put These 7 Items In Your Garbage Disposal

For many homeowners, the garbage disposal is the greatest technological innovation and also an enigma for many. There are many homeowners who believe that it is safe to put anything down at the garbage disposal but this is not the case. To ensure that your garbage disposal in Vero Beach is working appropriately, you need to understand how to use it properly and what you can actually put down through it and what you cannot. The following are some things that you should not put in a garbage disposal if you want it to run for a long time.

Coffee Grounds

Putting coffee grounds in a garburator is a big no and it can cause clogging of the drain pipe. Coffee ground when entering the drain pipe and coming in contact with moisture, forms a thick paste and if there is too much coffee ground sent down the drain then it can lead to enough deposits to clog the drain pipe. The best way to dispose of coffee grounds is in the compost bins or use them in your garden.

Paint

This is one mistake that most homeowners tend to make but latex and oil paint even though they seem soluble can cause a lot of damage to the garbage disposal drain. This type of paint can cling to the sides of the garburator or sit in the pipes that eventually cure and become hard. You can, however, dispose of heavily-diluted paint down the garbage disposal but it is wiser to not dispose of paint in this manner. Also, avoid cleaning your brushes and other painting tools in the sink to avoid drainage issues.

Bread, Rice, And Pasta

All these food substances have one common property which is they expand by absorbing water which can very easily lead to clogged pipe problems. A little bit of leftover pasta or spaghetti is okay for going down the disposal but do not dispose of excessive amounts of such substances. When you are dumping such substances make sure to run the garburator for at least 30 seconds and also run cold water down the pipe to prevent the rice or spaghetti from sticking without them expanding. Grains like oats will also expand when they absorb a lot of water.

Oil, Grease, And Fats

Garbage disposals can handle liquid and semi-solid fats but excessive fats, grease, or oil can cause a lot of damage to the pipes. The grease and fats can harden over time causing blockages. While the plumbing systems of the garbage disposal can resist damage by fat, oil, and grease to some extent but the other plumbing systems in the home cannot take it. If you drain such substances through the bathroom drain you may need to consider bathroom remodeling in Vero Beach to fix the plumbing issues that these substances cause.

Bones

Bones are another big no for garburators and should never put bones in the garbage disposal. The disposal blades aren’t sharp enough to break through bones and they will just keep spinning around the blades and even if you somehow make them go down the disposal they will be stuck in the drainpipe creating grounds for future blockage issues. 

Shellfishes

Shells like oysters and clams are super hard and won’t break down by the blades of garbage disposal. The garbage disposal blades will have a tough time breaking up the shells and this may damage the blades and also clog the drain, so it is best not to put such shellfishes in the garbage disposal. Also, avoid putting lobster shells and shrimp tails at your disposal as well.

Poultry Skin

Whether it is Turkey, chicken, or any other poultry, the skin of these birds has a rubbery texture which prevents them from grinding well in the garbage disposal. This will not only damage the blades of the garburator but also eventually cause plumbing issues. When preparing a poultry meal, throw the skin and small pieces of meat in the trash can instead of the garbage disposal.