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Garbage Disposals can without a doubt add ease to our lives. However, we often do not give them enough credit for what they do for us on a daily basis, until they stop functioning properly. They can prove to be great to help us easily dispose of the food leftovers and peels. But if you do not use it properly and keep it well-maintained, then the chances are that you would have a disaster in your hands. First things first, and that is to make sure that at all cost, you keep the glass away from your Garbage Disposal.
Even if you are purchasing a Garbage Disposal of the highest quality, it is always recommended to keep hard items away from it, even if it is food. In the long run, grinding hard foods regularly in the unit can cause damage to it. So, if you are not up to getting your Garbage Disposal repaired every other day, it is best to follow our advice.
Apart from causing damage to your Garbage Disposal, glass and other such items can also potentially injure you if you are not careful. If you want to make sure that your Garbage Disposal continues to run properly, then do not worry because we have got you covered. From ensuring that it continues to run smoothly, to knowing what items to put inside it. Let’s look at some tips on how to use a Garbage Disposal.
Tip#1: Regularly Run the Disposal
Just like any other machine or device, a Garbage Disposal needs to be used daily if you want to make sure it continues to function properly. People have a common misconception that they only need to use a Garbage Disposal when they really need to. However, this cannot be farther from the truth.
Over time the blades and machinery of a Garbage Disposal can start to freeze up, and even corrode in some cases if it is not in use. This is one of the leading reasons that people find that their Garbage Disposal stops doing its job properly. If you frequently notice that your Garbage Disposal is leading to clogs, then you know the reason now.
Think of a Garbage Disposal as exercising your body. Make sure that you run it daily so it can stay in a good working condition and save you the hassle.
Tip#2: Avoid Hot Water
You may have always thought that hot water works great for cleaning, but this does not apply for a Garbage Disposal. It is normally recommended to use medium hot water if not cold when you are using the Disposal. The reason why hot water should be avoided is that it can make your Garbage Disposal clog up.
The leftovers, peels and food that your Garbage Disposal is trying so hard to grind, can get melted. Once that happens, it sticks to the sides of the blades rather than being grinded, which in result, causes problems.
On the other hand, if cold water is used, then it can make the job of a Garbage Disposal much easier. Cold water hardens the foods and make it easier for the Disposal to grind it down.
Tip#3: Run Extra Minutes
Running the Garbage Disposal for a couple of extra minutes can make a huge difference. If you do not believe it, try it just once. It is certainly going to make your life easier and keep your Garbage Disposal clean. You do not have to instantly turn your Garbage Disposal off the moment you think it has done grinding. Sometimes, there may be peels and leftovers that it may have missed. Thus, by letting your Garbage Disposal run for an extra couple of minutes, you can make sure that everything is completely flushed away.
Another solution is, once you think that everything has grinded up, you could run cold water through the sink. This is going to make it much easier for the Garbage Disposal to clear the remnants.
Some people try to use hot water and melt some harder foods through the Garbage Disposal. You should always avoid doing this. In the long run, it is going to damage its blades.
Tip#4: Make Small Pieces of the Waste
Make sure that you assess the capabilities of your Garbage Disposal before putting things into it. People often get carried away and overestimate the capabilities of their Garbage Disposal and end up damaging it. So, make sure that you avoid putting items that may be too hard on its blades like fruits and shells.
If you do want to feed fruits to your Garbage Disposal (even though not recommended) make sure it’s cut into small pieces. This will help you extend the life of your Garbage Disposal and at the same time, help you avoid clog and jams.
Tip#5 Grinding Citrus Fruit
If you do not know already, then citrus can play a major role in helping you keep your Garbage Disposal clean. Moreover, apart from cleaning citrus fruit also plays a major role in helping you avoid unpleasant odours.
As big of a hassle it may sound, you do not have to do too much. All you need are a couple of lemons and you are good to go. It would surprise you that how big of a difference citrus fruit would make in eliminating unpleasant odour and overall keeping the Disposal clean.
Things you should avoid putting in Your Garbage Disposal
What we discussed above were just some tips on how you could make the most out of your Garbage Disposal. Knowing that what you should put inside it and what not is also equally important.
1) Oil & Grease
Oil and grease are a complete no-no for your Garbage Disposal. The moment it goes inside the unit, it will not only clog things up but also, become a nightmare for you to clean.
2) Potato Peels
We know that the main purpose of a Garbage Disposal is to dispose of food leftovers. However, potato peels are something that you might want to reconsider putting inside the Disposal. That is because of the starch it contains, which is difficult to flush out.
3) Paper, Glass & Metal
This should not come as a surprise but the main purpose of a Garbage Disposal unit is to help you dispose of leftovers. Using it for a purpose other than that should always be avoided. While paper is just going to dull the blades, if you throw in metal or glass, that can cause some serious damage to your Garbage Disposal.
4) Bones and Seeds
Similar to the things we mentioned above, bones and seeds should also be kept away from a Garbage Disposal. In general, you need to keep in mind that anything that may be hard on the blades of a Garbage Disposal should be kept away from it, and this also includes bones and seeds.
5) Egg Shells
Throwing eggshells in a Garbage Disposal also needs to be avoided. We know that most of the times it is out of habit, but in the long run, it can significantly affect the life of your Garbage Disposal. Therefore, it is better to avoid it.
Bottomline
Garbage Disposal units have made our lives easier beyond comparison, that is without a doubt. Keeping the kitchen clean and disposing of the food leftovers used to be the most difficult task of the day. However, with the help of a Garbage Disposal unit, this has become easier than ever. This is why, if you are installing one, then make sure that you know how to properly use it! We hope now you understand how to properly use your Garbage Disposal unit.
