Prevent a Garbage Disposal Disaster

We’re halfway through the month of December and we wanted to spend some time addressing an often overlooked part of our kitchens. Garbage disposals are both really helpful but often problematic when not taken care of properly. Many people often toss just about anything down there to get rid of it at the moment but don’t realize they can only put so many things in there before clogging and damage begins to occur. In today’s blog, Metro-Flow Plumbing is going to take you through the do’s and don'ts of garbage disposals.

Before we begin, a brief history: the garbage disposal was invented in 1927 by John Hammes, an architect in Wisconsin but then again the credit could go to General Electric (GE) in 1935 depending who you ask. Hammes’s wife, who didn’t like the smell of food scraps in the garbage, inspired him to start working on an invention that would ultimately change all our lives. Behind every great man am I right ladies? Not always the loved appliance it is in modern kitchens, ordinances were once passed in various cities prohibiting the use of garbage disposals for the fear that they might be the cause of damaged plumbing in the long term. Garbage disposals were then put through rigorous inspection and they were finally given the go ahead over the years. Today more than 50% of all U.S. households have garbage disposals.

Now what foods can I throw down there you might be asking yourself. Here is a short list:
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Absolute NOTs for Garbage Disposals

1. Potato skins in large numbers can clog up a disposal in no time and are advised against.
2. Any “stringy” or “phlegm like” food. Onions and eggs are a big no because these natural “strings” in the food can cause the garbage disposal to clog and stop working over time.
3. Pasta and rice are also not recommended because when broken down the yeast in these foods can cause a paste like substance to form with the water and this will also cause clogging over time.
4. Bones… don’t think this one needs an explanation, just no.
5. GREASE! Why the capital letters Metro-Flow blog person? Because grease is the biggest culprit of them all. Hot cooking grease runs rather smooth but once cooled it hardens, it can then clog up your garbage disposal and water pipes. Have you ever left a pan full of grease hanging out after cooking and when you come back later you see a layer of solidified grease in it? Same concept, but imagine that in your pipes.

Absolute DOs for Garbage Disposals

1. Pet food, dog or cat. If your pet eats canned food of any kind, it's okay to put it in the disposal.
2. Small amounts of coffee grounds. Key word being small.
3. As a rule, if a baby can eat it then it’s good to throw it down there.
4. Small pieces of cooked meat.
5. CITRUS RINDS! Oh here I go again with the capital letters. Yes! Citrus rinds of any kind can be put down the garbage disposal and not only is it fine to grind up but the citrus smells from the rinds will actually leave your garbage disposal smelling fresh! It’s a win-win.

On that note… well, how do we clean them?

Be sure to give your garbage disposal a good cleaning from time to time, we recommend a weekly (or monthly) cleaning depending on how often you cook.

1. To clean the inside of it, drop about 12 ice cubes in there and grind them up while water runs. This will eliminate small food particles that might have gotten stuck in there.
   
2. Another tip is actually making a paste out of baking soda and water. Using a small brush or sponge, dab the rubber flaps on the entrance of the garbage disposal with said paste and scrub gently. This will get rid of any grime buildup from use.

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We hope you enjoyed our garbage disposal filled post and it helps you to maintain your garbage disposal at home. As always check back with us for another entry and we hope you explore our Metro-Flow Plumbing site. Happy Holidays Dallas! The jolly big guy in red is right around the corner!