With the average American getting rid of 4.4 pounds of trash every day, garbage disposals can be a dream. Installed in the kitchen sink, it can get rid of most of your food waste, reducing the volume of trash you have and how much you need to take it outside!
However, like anything else, they come with their problems. Often, people find that garbage disposal issues happen to them every now and again that they have no idea how to solve.
The solution? Be preventative.
By being aware of what causes garbage disposal problems, you can be proactive in ensuring they don't happen.
1. Putting Things Down There You Shouldn't Be
Although they can get rid of most food waste, you might find your garbage disposal clogged if you put certain things down there — such as string food!
Food that's shaped in a string can wrap around the inside and end up clogging a blockage. Make sure you get rid of this food the regular way, as putting it down the garbage disposal in a hurry will only cause problems later.
2. Using Harsh Chemicals
When it comes to cleaning your garbage disposal, some baking soda and crushed up ice cubes should do the trick. It can be tempting to run a chemical cleaner down there to erode the food stuck to the sides, but it's a terrible idea.
It can erode the pipes, causing damage that you then need to hire an expensive plumber to repair. Aside from that, there are many reasons to skip the chemical cleaners and use some less harsh solutions.
This article explains more about why using chemicals is a bad idea!
3. Running It Dry
When running your garbage disposal, you should always ensure water is running down there at the same time. This helps soften anything put down there and make sure the disposal doesn't have a problem grinding it up!
4. Putting Too Much Down There at Once
The fact of the matter is that people often just simply put too much down there at once. If you have a lot of food waste to put down there, do it little by little.
Your garbage disposal unit likely isn't huge, and putting too much food down there at once will cause it to clog.
5. Pouring Grease In
Putting grease down the garbage disposal is a big no-no! Grease can harden on the sides of the pipes like candle wax, which is a recipe for a clog later.
Make sure you never put grease down there, even if you're running water at the same time.
Eliminate Your Garbage Disposal Problems by Using It Correctly!
If you make sure you know how to use it, then your garbage disposal problems should be minimized. Clean with it without harsh chemicals, make sure string foods and grease never touch it, and be aware of the volume of food you're putting down there.
For more tips that will help you around the home, check out the rest of our blog!
