Learn to Use Your Garbage Disposal Properly to Avoid Appliance Repair

A garbage disposal can prove to be extremely useful, especially if you do not have a compost system. However, it is also easy to run into problems with your garbage disposal without knowledge of how to properly maintain it, as well as what to avoid grinding to avoid appliance repair.

Do Not Grind Certain Foods

Expandable foods that contain starch such as rice or pasta should not be put into a garbage disposal as they can lead to clogging.  While many homeowners have gotten away with grinding these foods, the main focus should be on avoiding problems, which is done by not taking unnecessary risks.

Avoid Hard Food Items

Hard items such as stone fruit pits, bones, and seeds can get stuck in the disposal, causing it to stop working, along with dulling the blade to the point of ineffectiveness. Ideally, you want to get into the habit of knowing what to throw down the drain for grinding and what to dispose of in the trash.

Run Cold Water

A garbage disposal is used to break food up and get it through the drain pipe, but if you run hot water, you are promoting liquefaction, which makes it easier for foods to get stuck on the sides.

Keep Blades Sharp with Ice Cubes

Ice cubes keep your garbage disposal blades nice and sharp, which is exactly what you want and need as you rely on it for breaking down food that you put down the drain.

Freshen Up with Citrus Peels

Although ice cubes are a great way to keep your blades sharp, this does not fix the bad odor problem that you are likely to experience after using the garbage disposal on a continuous basis.

Fortunately, there is an easy solution in grinding citrus peels from limes, lemons, or oranges.

Maintaining your garbage disposal is not that challenging, and following these tips will help you enjoy this appliance for a long time before you need to get it serviced or repaired.

However, when the time does come, feel free to contact us.