Be Nice to Your Garbage Disposal

August 23, 2023

Garbage disposals are something that almost every home has and uses. Their lifespan averages 8 years, all the way up to 15 depending on how you take care of it. That’s why you should be nice to it year round.

Don’t do these things

Your garbage disposal can handle a fair amount of things but you should never put certain things down it, like grease. It may seem like the easy thing to do after you get done cooking, but don’t pour any grease down your disposal. The grease will solidify when running with water and cause clogs. Also, don’t put fibrous foods down the garbage disposal. These include lettuce, potato peelings, and celery. The fibrous nature of these foods can cause the blades to jam. If a food item can be eaten by a baby, your garbage disposal should be able to handle it.

Do these things

When using the garbage disposal, always run water for at least 10 seconds before and after you use it. This will make sure everything you put down the garbage disposal goes down the drain. If you can chop the food that you are putting down, do it, it’s easier to put smaller items down a disposal unit. Also, every once in a while, go ahead and use your garbage disposal to grind up a few ice cubes. The ice cubes will help remove build up on the blades of your unit. You can also pour some white vinegar down the sink and just let it sit for a minute or two, then rinse it with cold water. This helps remove odors from your garbage disposal.

Garbage disposal is not grinding

There are a few things you can do to try and get your garbage disposal working again if it is not working. First, you can try resetting it. There is usually a button on garbage disposal, under your sink, that you can press to reset. Sometimes it can be a tripped circuit breaker or the disposal unit was accidentally unplugged. Check that it’s plugged in and check your electrical panel for any tripped breakers. The last thing you can do is give your disposal a “push” start. There is a hole on the bottom of your garbage disposal that can be cranked using a garbage disposal tool that you can pick up at almost any hardware store.

If these tips don’t work or you want someone just to come by to check it, please give us a call us today at (913) 227-4943 or schedule your service online