Garbage disposals are a convenient way to dispose of food scraps and keep the trash can from stinking. As useful as this appliance is, many people don’t understand how to maintain the disposal. Knowing a few tricks keeps the appliance running longer and saves you money on plumbing repairs.

Are You Making This Mistake?

Can you guess the biggest mistake most people make when using their garbage disposals? If you said putting everything in the disposal, then you are correct. Many people erroneously believe that any type of food scrap or liquid is disposable. Not so. In fact, most food scraps should be composted.

The truth is that your garbage disposal is not a trash compactor. It’s a small appliance that doesn’t have the power to grind up large chunks of meat, fibrous vegetable scraps, and most peelings. You get the best results from your garbage disposal when you keep these items as well as grease and cooking oil far away from the unit.

It’s Time to Clear Off Your Kitchen Counters

The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where we gather to eat meals and cook and talk about our days. It’s also the place where mail gets tossed on the counter, food wrappers get left out, etc., etc. When counters get cluttered, it’s more likely that unintended, non-organic items fall into the sink unnoticed. Not only should these items not be placed in the disposal, but they also shouldn’t be rinsed down the drain. Clearing your counters goes a long way toward maintaining the health of your garbage disposal.

Don’t Forget to Clean the Garbage Disposal

How many times a day do you use your garbage disposal? Even if you only use it after dinner, it gets dirty. Flushing the disposal once a month gets rid of debris stuck in the blades. Flushing the system is easy. Simply make sure any large chunks of food are out the disposal. Next, plug the disposal and fill that portion of the sink with hot, soapy water. Then unplug the sink and turn the disposal on letting the soapy water move through the disposal.

If you believe there is build up in your sink, run ice cubes and rock salt through the disposal. This concoction is great for getting rid of excess build-up caused by soap or even hard water. Using ice cubes also sharpens the blades.

Try Not to Run Your Disposal Dry

It’s never a good idea to run the disposal dry. Whenever you use it, also run the tap at the same time to minimize wear and tear on the motor and blades.

If you’re experiencing problems with your garbage disposal, give us a call. Covina Speedy Plumbing and Rooter has expert, licensed plumbers in Covina, CA, available right now to assist you with garbage disposal repair and replacement service. Call us anytime day or night!