A garbage disposal is an added luxury for any kitchen. The boom of this modern kitchen appliance is has been put into almost every home. Homeowners are utilizing the ease of this appliance every day, but some do not know that they are causing more harm than good. Did you know that some food waste is not supposed to go in a garbage disposal? Many people will say "yes," but plumbers are called out regularly to fix the broken garbage disposal.
What Items Can Not Go in My Garbage Disposal?
Coffee Grounds:
Coffee grounds can cause severe problems in the drain, even though there is a common myth that the grounds relieve odors down in the drain. Plumbers agree that he odor is reduced temporarily but, they do not recommend putting grounds down the drain. There are several other garbage disposal cleaners for homeowners to use.
Pasta:
Pasta noodles like spaghetti and mac n cheese, expand in water, and form a rubbery consistency. Since they would be soaking in the water, the pasta will continue to grow and cause a paste to form. This will clog the drain when other foods get stuck in the pulp.
Bones:
Garbage disposal is not made to grind up any type of bone. They are designed for food waste and not to deal with tough items.
Oatmeal:
Oatmeal is another food that will grow whenever water is added. They will slide through and cause problems down the line, just like pasta.
Nuts:
If you think about how any type of butter is made through nuts, you'll understand what happens in a garbage disposal. Once a handful of any kind of nuts is dropped in the garbage disposal, a thick paste will begin to form as the nuts are ground down. That thick paste will clog the garbage disposal and be hard to clean out the paste.
Potato Peels:
A potato peel can slip through the opening, but it catches anything that does go through the garbage disposal. It will hold the food in that spot and not allow anything to pass through. Therefore, water and food will build up, causing a blocked drain.
Pits:
We all know what foods have pits, peaches, and avocados, to name a few. The pits are hard and dense, which will cause havoc on your garbage disposal. One handyman writes that if you can not cut it with a knife, it does not belong in your garbage disposal.
Shells:
Hard shells from crab, lobster, shrimp, and oysters do not belong down your garbage disposal. The harder shells might break the motor or cause a drain line to bust as well. The other type of shell to be aware of is eggshells. These types of shells can be ground down in small fragments and puncture the drain line.
Non-food Items:
This is usually a given that the garbage disposal is used only for food waste but, plumbers see anything and everything. With that being said, use the trash can for all peels, rubber bands, and plastic bags (yes, they have seen plastic bags).
What Happens If My Garbage Disposal Breaks?
When items are put into a garbage disposal that are not supposed to be there, the motor will begin to fail. Once the motor fails or food starts to sit in the drain, a foul smell will form. Think about it; food waste is sitting within your pipes, collecting more food, and cause the food to rot while water is layered on top of it daily. That is why it is essential to check what can go down a garbage disposal and should be thrown away in a traditional trash can.
Another cause of a broken garbage disposal is a dark sludge may come out from under your sink. The line will become clogged, and the water will have nowhere to go. Therefore, the line will break, causing whatever was in the drain to come out into your cabinet. To learn more about how to fix a clogged drain, click here.
Keep in mind that these are not the only food items that can not be put in a garbage disposal. Plumbers see anything and everything when it comes to replacing this convenient tool. If you have a problem or have questions about your garbage disposal, reach out to Blessed Plumbing for more information or a replacement (614) 204-5156!
Keep up to date on what Thompson Building Associates is doing through our social media presence!
Instagram Facebook Website