Apartments have many wonderful amenities and appliances. One that fails to receive recognition is the garbage disposal. As everyone has to eat, everyone has to prepare food, which leads the to the logical assumption you use your garbage disposal almost each day, if not every day. Due do to the frequent usage of the garbage disposal, maintenance crews are constantly requested to fix it. Learn about the steps you can take to ensure you are not misusing your garbage disposal and stay on maintenance’s good side.
Stringy Fruits and Vegetables
Most people think they can throw anything down their garbage disposal. This is not the case, as stringy fruits and vegetables should never be placed in the garbage disposal. Never put your garbage disposal through the torture of banana peels, corn husks, celery, and other like foods. These fruits and vegetables have a habit of getting stuck around the motor and damaging the garbage disposal. The wise choice to make would be to put these foods in a compost bin or jar. You can later add the compost to your plant pots to promote growth.
Coffee Grounds
People think emptying their coffee grounds into the sink is okay, but you really want to throw it in the trash or compost bin. The grounds from coffee don’t wash down the sink as well as it may appear, they actually tend to cause your sink’s pipes to back up and will eventually clog the drain.
Eggshells
The fastest way to dull the blades of your garbage disposal is to throw eggshells down the sink. Not only will the shells damage the blades, but the membrane of the egg will also linger on the grinders, degrading their performance. Likewise, eggshells don’t break down well and will remain in the pipes.
Oats, Grains, and Pasta
You usually have to add water to oats, grains, and pasta which causes them to expand. The best thing you can do is to never put any foods that swell up with water down the garbage disposal. Instead of breaking down the swollen food, you pipes have a higher chance of getting blocked.
Grease and Oil
There’s a reason restaurants have grease traps! Grease and oil should never be poured down the drain as the liquid state is only temporary. The grease and oil will do detrimental damage once it has solidified. Aside from the solid-state damage, the grease will only make the grinder slick, making the garbage disposal relatively useless as it can no longer do its job. Bacon grease and other fats can be stored in the fridge and used again for later cooking, which is a better route to take.
Fruits with Pits or Seeds
Think of your garbage disposal like a knife; if you can’t cut it with a knife, your garbage disposal won’t be able to either. Never put the seeds or pits of fruit down the drain, as you will dull the blades or even cause them to break. Likewise, popcorn kernels should never be placed in the garbage disposal, throw them straight into the trash.
Bones and Seafood Shells
Bones and seafood shells shouldn’t be thrown into the garbage disposal, even if you have an expensive one advertised as being able to tolerate them. Bones and shells will substantially shorten the longevity of your garbage disposal. You can place bones and seafood shells in your compost bin or throw them away.
Chemicals
Chemicals should never be dumped down the drain, ever! Some chemicals will actually make metal pipes deteriorate, causing serious long-term issues to both your drainage pipes and your garbage disposal. Instead of using chemicals to defend against the buildup of bacteria, use lemon peels, lime peels, or orange slices to eradicate harmful germs and put a pleasant aroma in the air.
