07/25/2022
What Not To Put in a Garbage Disposal
Common sense can only take a person so far when it comes to what not to put in the garbage disposal. Some of these items may not be obvious to you.
Coffee Grounds: This is one of the biggest no-no’s for drains. When coffee grounds enter the drain, it forms a thick and dense paste. It can create a clog or slow down the draining process. It is best to dispose of them in your compost bin or use them in your garden.
Grease, Fats, and Oil: Fats and grease are one of the most important items to not put down a disposal. As fats cool down, they solidify. Without proper flushing that pushes the fats further down the line, it can sit on the bottom of the disposal unit, creating drainage and clog issues.
You should avoid running fats and grease down the drain, however fat can be inevitable for some common food like salad dressing, etc. Be sure to run the food scraps down the drain with COLD water so the fat can remain solid as it passes through the disposal and into the drain pipes.
Eggshells: Eggshells are a common mistake to put down a disposal. It is a myth that eggshells can help sharpen the blades. The membrane on the inside of the shells can create a sticky blockage inside your plumbing.
Onion Skins: Similar to an eggshell, onion skins also have a thin membrane on the inside of the skin. Because this layer of membrane is quite thin and wet, it can easily get through the blades and end up through the blades and end up wedged in the drain and can cause a blockage.
Potato Peels: Similar to onion skins, potato peels can be thin enough to slip through the blades. This causes a barrier in a sink trap which could lead to a clog.
Hard Foods: Bones, nuts, pits, and other hard food scraps are too tough for disposal blades to cut through. This can cause the blades to jam or damage them significantly.
Dry Expandable Foods: Foods which expand in water like pasta, oats, and rice will continue to expand in a sink’s plumbing system, leading to an eventual clog. If it’s a small piece or a few left on a plate after your meal, it should be fine to run through the disposal.
Nobody is perfect, and sometimes clogs do happen. Call E Kundla Drain Clearing, 209-332-0070, and I will get your drains flowing again.