Hello there, homeowner! Are you a fan of garbage disposals? Can’t live without them? Do you use them every time? If you do, then you should know that maintenance and proper care are significant contributors on the longevity of your garbage disposal’s life. If you want your disposer to last, simply follow these maintenance tips.
1. Don’t pour used oil or grind greasy food in your garbage disposal. The grease will solidify inside the grind chamber or drainpipe over time than cause annoying blockages in the end. Instead of pouring grease down the sink, you should just then collect it in a container. Allow it to solidify then dispose in the garbage can.
2. If you don’t want the blades of your disposer to dull, avoid grinding hard food wastes such as fruit pits, large bones, and shellfish. However, please note that you can grind small bones because they can actually help remove the particles that accumulate inside the disposal.
3. Remember that you should not put potato peels in garbage disposal. That’s a big no-no! Fibrous or starchy food waste like potatoes, corn husks, artichokes, banana peels and celery should never be ground in the disposer. Their fibers can get tangled up, therefore, jamming the machine in the end.
4. Aside from the food wastes mentioned above, you should never grind coffee grounds and egg shells in your disposal.
5. Never overfill your garbage disposal when using it. Doing so will only jam or eventually damage the appliance.
6. Run the garbage disposal for 30 seconds longer with a strong flow of water after grinding food waste. This should clean the inside of the appliance and avoid the buildup of particles. Remember, the accumulation of organic waste inside the appliance will result to the growth of mold and other types of bacteria that may result to the presence of foul smell and airborne spores that are harmful to everyone’s health.
7. Clean your garbage disposal with soapy water. You may also grind lime or orange peels to keep its smell fresh.
8. After cleaning your garbage disposal, remember to grind ice cubes. Doing so will keep the blades sharp.
9. Another cleaning method that you should consider is the use of baking soda and vinegar. Pour the baking soda into the drain and then follow up with a cup of white vinegar. Afterward, pour a kettle of boiled water in to wash the ingredients away.
10. If the drain baffle is removable, you can detach it and clean its surface with water and detergent. Scrub the parts with an old toothbrush to make sure that everything’s clean. However, make sure that you’ll properly install the baffle back before using the garbage disposal again.
We’re hoping that you learned a lot about garbage disposal maintenance from our blog today. If you encounter this problem, just call a plumber in Sunrise. Douglas Orr Plumbing provides exceptional garbage disposal repair in Sunrise as well as other plumbing services like drain cleaning in Sunrise, clogged toilet in Sunrise, septic cleaning in Sunrise and many more. Call us at (305) 240-6731 or fill out our form on the website to schedule a service!
Meanwhile, check out our video below that features why you should choose Douglas Orr Plumbing whenever you encounter plumbing issues in Broward County!