Garbage Disposal DOs and DON’Ts

Four Seasons Plumbing prioritizes health and safety precautions while serving Asheville area homeowners

Your garbage disposal is a big help in the kitchen, but it’s not meant for everything. Remember – it’s for food scraps only, it’s NOT meant to replace your trash can.

So if you want to keep your handy helper working smoothly for years to come, you need to operate and maintain it properly.

DOs:

• DO use your disposal with cold water! Keeping the water running after use helps push waste through the pipes. You’ll want to stick with cold tap, however, as hot water can melt fat and allow it to re-solidify as a blockage further in the drain.
• DO keep your disposal clean! Add a couple of ice cubes to your disposal – not to sharpen the blades like commonly believed – but to knock off any remaining food debris. For a fresh scent, toss down pieces of citrus rinds as well!

“During the current situation, that means that we’re taking every step to ensure that the health and safety of our customers and Four Seasons team members is our top priority.”

• DO grind the RIGHT materials! There are a few SAFE items you can put down your disposal like citrus rinds (plus they naturally clean the disposal), egg shells, cooked meat scraps (cut into small pieces), fruit scraps, most vegetable scraps – aside from fibrous ones listed below.

DON’Ts:

• DON’T pour grease in the disposal! Grease, oil, and fat are NOT garbage disposal safe. Grease can accumulate and hinder your disposal’s grinding ability as well as clog your drains.
• DON’T grind fibrous or expandable materials! Corn husks, potato peels, celery stalks, etc., can tangle and jam your disposal’s motor. And since you know items like pasta or rice expand with water in a pot, it’s safe to say they’ll also expand in your pipes when mixed with water as well.
• DON’T grind hard objects! If a few small bones slip into the disposal that’s one thing. But large bones or nut shells are a big no.

If you run into any problems with your garbage disposal – trust the experts at Four Seasons Plumbing. Our many areas of expertise include garbage disposals, kitchen fixtures, dishwasher repair, and more. You can always count on our talented Asheville plumbers for routine maintenance and professional plumbing services no matter the solution needed. Contact us today at 828-216-3894 or complete our online request form.

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