When it comes to cleaning up kitchen scraps, having a sink garbage disposal can feel like a superpower. But, like all great powers, garbage disposals come with a great responsibility: preventing the wrong thing from going down the drain. Certain types of foods can't be processed correctly in a sink disposal and, as a result, can clog up your drain and even damage the disposal itself—potentially costing you money on repairs and replacements. Luckily, all it takes is a little knowledge of what not to put in a garbage disposal to prevent these costly mistakes, so let's take a look at what's off-limits.
1. Fats, Oil, and Grease
This one might seem obvious, but it's always a good reminder: don't pour grease and oil down the drain. Even if you have a garbage disposal, fats like bacon grease, chicken fat, and other oils can solidify in your pipes and cause major blockages and plumbing issues.
2. Non-Food Scraps or Trash
Despite the name, garbage disposals are only intended for organic food scraps. Things like plastic and metal can be very damaging to the disposal itself and your pipes.
3. Coffee Grounds and Eggshells
You might not guess it, but coffee grounds and eggshells are two of the most common offenders when it comes to clogged drains from garbage disposals. They both tend to accumulate inside plumbing, clumping together and causing clogs.
4. Oatmeal, Pasta, and Other Starchy Foods
Similarly, large quantities of starchy foods like oatmeal, pasta, rice, bread, and potatoes can form a kind of thick paste when ground up, which can gum up your disposal.
5. Vegetable Peels, Eggshells, and Stringy Foods
Fibrous, stringy vegetables like celery, asparagus, corn husks, artichokes, rhubarb, and pumpkin can get tangled up in the disposal, never breaking down fully. Similarly, thin vegetable peels can slip through the grates of the disposal without breaking down small enough to safely enter your pipes.
6. Bones, Shells, and Other Hard Foods
Garbage disposals can handle a lot—some are even rated to grind hard foods like bones and avocado pits. However, many plumbers still advise against grinding things like bones, shellfish shells, and stone fruit pits because the disposal may not be able to break the material down enough for your plumbing to handle.
7. When in Doubt, Throw it Out!
If you're not sure if a certain food is okay to put down the garbage disposal in the moment, it's a good idea to play it safe and compost it or throw it away instead. Taking a bit of extra time to dispose of something potentially harmful to your plumbing can save you money in the long run!
Want to install a garbage disposal, or need someone to repair or replace an existing one? Call BODEK INC. at 607-777-9974 or contact us any time for professional plumbing in the greater Binghamton, New York area.
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