The health of your drains depends on what you put down them. Your kitchen does a lot of hard work, especially if you have a garbage disposal. It’s tempting to put just about anything in there and think that the blades will just take care of it!

In today’s post, we’ll share a few do’s and don’ts of using your garbage disposal. Continue reading to learn more, and if you’re in need of drain cleaning in your kitchen, bathroom, or anywhere else in your Altonah home, contact Webb’s Select-A-Service!

Garbage Disposal Best Practices

Before we get into what you should put into your disposal, let’s take a minute to talk about how to use it. First, be sure to run water through the disposal whenever you have it on. Use cold water, as it helps hot things solidify so they can be ground up. Run your disposal on a regular basis, as letting it sit for a long time can cause it to run less smoothly. And, like any drain in your home, don’t put anything that isn’t biodegradable down it.

What Can You Put Down A Garbage Disposal?

There are plenty of things that are perfectly safe and great to dispose of down your garbage disposal! Here are a few:

Citrus Rinds

Not only are these safe to put down the disposal, they’ll also leave your kitchen smelling fresh and clean! So toss those lemon, lime, and orange peels down the kitchen drain.

Fruit and Vegetable Scraps

The garbage disposal was created to handle food scraps — so put as much of these as you like down the disposal. There are a couple exceptions, which we’ll cover later, but the majority of fruit and vegetable scraps are safe.

Small Amounts of Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds are controversial, but in general, it’s ok to put a little bit of ground up coffee down the garbage disposal. However, large amounts can collect in pipes and clog drains. So, if you’re making several pots a day, be sure to dump it in the compost pile instead of the disposal.

Cooked Meat Scraps

Avoid big chunks of meat and raw meat, but food scraps from dinner that contain meat are fine if they end up in the disposal as you’re washing dishes. No need to fish them out, just avoid big amounts — like dumping a whole meat stew that went bad in the fridge. 

Don’t Put These Things Down Your Garbage Disposal

There are definitely some things that you shouldn’t put down your disposal that can clog your drains or break the system. If you put these down your drain, you’ll most likely need drain cleaning services.

  • Fruit Pits Or Seeds – Put these in compost or the garbage can.
  • Bones – Toss them in the trash, they’re too tough for the disposal’s blades.
  • Banana Peels – They’re super fibrous and will clog your drains and jam the disposal.
  • Potato Peels –  Potatoes are really starchy — which is bad for your disposal and your drain. 

Webb’s Select-A-Service Drain Cleaning 

Accidents happen! If you’ve put something down your garbage disposal that you weren’t supposed to, we’re here for you. We provide our Altonah community with professional and affordable drain cleaning. Contact us today.