What You Should Never Put Down a Garbage Disposal

There are many ways to damage or clog your kitchen sinks garbage disposal and block your kitchen drains. Our expert drain cleaners have seen it all and have compiled a list of common mistakes that lead homeowners to call us for help.

1. Grease, Fats, Oil
   You know that bacon grease will solidify if you let it sit for a while. Now imagine what happens when you pour any grease or oil down your drain. Over time the build-up will begin to clog your drains. It's never a good idea to pour grease, fats, or oil down any drain – including floor drains and toilets.
2. Egg Shells
   Believe it or not, this is harmful to your garbage disposal. The stringy membrane of the eggs can get wrapped around the disposal and eventually clog your drainpipes. Toss the eggshells in the trash!
3. Pasta, Rice, Potatoes, Root Vegetables
   Over time foods with a lot of starch in them can begin to build up and block your pipes. When preparing potatoes, turnips, beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes, yams, and other root vegetables, use a strainer to catch those peels and keep them from going down the disposal. Never put pasta or rice down a disposal or drain.
4. Bones
   ever put turkey bones or chicken wings or any other bones down your garbage disposal. These hard items can break your disposal or clog up your plumbing.
5. Stringy, Fibrous Foods
   Never put celery, onion peels, lettuce, corn husks, asparagus, etc. down your garbage disposal. These fibrous veggies can get wrapped around the blades and could jam or even break the disposal.
6. Pits or Seeds
   If you drop the pits from any fruits - peaches, cherries, even avocados, they will not grind up and make it through the disposal. If a pit does fall in by accident, make sure that the disposal is off before using tongs or chopsticks to reach down and retrieve the pit.
7. Coffee Grounds
   Yes, even coffee grounds can wear down the blades of a garbage disposal over time, making it less effective for softer foods. So, wake up and place those coffee grounds in the compost bin or trash – not the disposal.

Follow these guidelines to avoid breaking your disposal and prevent clogs and jams that may lead to more problems under your kitchen sink.

Our General Rooter technicians can take care of any type of clogged drain. Call us today at 763-634-2564 in the Twin Cities area or 507-550-2564 in the Mankato area.