The garbage disposal is a hard-working yet often overlooked component in your kitchen. This device handles just about everything we toss its way — until you put the wrong item down the drain! Then you’ll have a problem that you may be charged for.
You’ll get the most life out of it and save yourself money if you avoid putting the following foods down the drain, according to Delish and Angie’s List. These items will create the kind of clogs and damage that can mean an expensive plumbing charge that you would be responsible for.
17 foods that DO NOT go down a Garbage Disposal:
o Rice
o Artichokes
o Asparagus
o Avocado pits
o Bones
o Carrots
o Celery
o Coffee grounds
o Corn husks
o Egg Shells
o Grease
o Lettuce
o Onion skins
o Pasta
o Peach pits
o Potato peels
o Raw meat
PRIOR to draining, scoop out any large particles and dispose of them in the trash. We recommend putting big amounts of food and items that shouldn't go down the garbage disposal, in the trash.
DO keep your garbage disposal clean.
DO run it regularly to prevent rust and corrosion.
DO grind only biodegradable food with cold water.
DO cut large items into smaller pieces.
DO feed the disposal small bits at a time instead of trying to shove a large amount in at once.
DO let water continue to run for at least 20 seconds after the disposal's work is finished, flushing out any remaining particles.
If you flip the switch on and there is no sound, make sure the garbage disposal is plugged in. There is a little red reset button on the bottom of most garbage disposals (see photo). You can turn the on/off switch off, then push that reset button up until it stays in. Try turning the garbage disposal on. It should turn on. If you flip the switch and hear a buzzing sound, that usually means that something is stuck. Next, try this: Flip the switch to the OFF position. Most garbage disposals also have a hole in the center underneath where you could insert a 1/4 inch allen wrench (see photo) to try to turn it manually to break loose whatever is keeping it from working. You can turn it clockwise and counterclockwise in an attempt to break it free. Then take the allen wrench out and turn the switch on again to see if it runs. If it still won't run, there might be something like a rag, thick food or a piece of metal, plastic or wood stuck down there. In this case, Please unplug the garbage disposal, noting which outlet you unplugged it from, then reach down the drain with your hand to see if you can feel anything that is stuck and pull it out. Then, make sure your hand is not down the drain, plug it back in and try to start it again. If you have tried all of these and it still doesn't run, we will probably need to send someone out to fix it. Keep in mind, that if we find that the garbage disposal needs to be cleared or repaired due to something that shouldn't be down the drain, it could be the tenant's responsibility to pay for the service call to get it running again.
Therefore, to avoid the garbage disposal from breaking down, the best solution is to use it properly!
