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How to Take Good Care of Your Garbage Disposal

While garbage disposals are convenient units that help homeowners easily dispose of food scraps, they can break down if not properly maintained. To avoid clogs and other problems in their units, property owners need to take steps to avoid putting the wrong food and amounts of food down the garbage disposal.

Helotes, TX, plumbers reveal what foods should and shouldn’t go down the garbage disposal, how much food can go down the unit, and how running cold water benefits these systems.

Be Careful What Goes Down the Disposal

While garbage disposals are a convenient way to get rid of food scraps, homeowners must know what types of food can go down the system. Plumbers offer the following tips on what items can go down the disposal and which types of food should be avoided.

Foods Safe To Go Down the Disposal

• Soft food scraps like fruit and vegetable peels
• Citrus rinds
• Portions of cooked meat
• Ice

Foods That Should Not Go Down the Disposal

• Stringy vegetables, like celery
• Starchy foods, like potatoes 
• Fibrous foods, like banana peels
• Fatty substances like grease, oil, and butter
• Items like bones, nutshells, eggshells, and pits

If homeowners are unsure what foods are safe to dump in their garbage disposals, they should consult a plumber. However, to be safe, toss the food in the trash instead of putting it down the disposal.

Run Cold Water While Running the Garbage Disposal

One way to keep a garbage disposal in good condition is to run cold water while using it. 

Running cold water while the disposal is on and after it shuts off helps flush food scraps down the drain, resulting in a clean garbage disposal. This technique also prevents them from getting stuck in the blades or grinding chamber.

It is also beneficial because the grinding process can generate heat. Cold water helps keep the disposal cool and prevents food particles from baking onto the blades, which can cause foul odors.

In addition to running cold water, homeowners should occasionally put a few ice cubes through their disposal while the water is running. The ice cubes help sharpen the blades and dislodge any lingering food particles.

Avoid Putting Too Much Down the Disposal at Once

When putting items down the garbage disposal—even the safe ones—homeowners must avoid putting too much down at once, as doing so can cause blockages.

To ensure they don’t overwhelm the garbage disposal, homeowners should break down large food scraps into smaller pieces before feeding them into the disposal. This approach allows the blades to grind them efficiently and prevents jams.

If homeowners start to notice their garbage disposal humming or failing to grind food efficiently, it can indicate that the unit is overloaded. Property owners should quickly turn off the garbage disposal and clear the blockage before turning it back on or hitting the garbage disposal reset button.

About Anchor Plumbing Services

Anchor Plumbing Services is the plumbing pros San Antonio depends on. They offer same-day services, flat-rate pricing, and 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Call them today for garbage disposal services in Helotes, TX, including repairs and replacements.

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