Though it is called a garbage disposal, there are some things, however much you are convinced that they are garbage, which you should not put down one. If it breaks down, and you have to call in the home insurance man, if you have put any of the following down there then he will probably refuse to pay out on the basis that your negligence caused the damage.
Paper - Once this gets wet then it clings to the inside machinery and clogs it up.
Plastic - Quite simply, this is too tough for a garbage disposal to be able to process.
Poop - Dog poop seems pretty obvious not to put down the disposal. You would think that baby diapers would fall in the same category, but they clog thousands of disposals a year.
Bones - What do you think is going to happen to that bone once its in the garbage disposal?
Eggshells - They might be easy to crack but they are not so easy to turn into pulp.
Grease - It will stick to, and build up on the disposal tube.
Stringy Vegetables - These do not do well in the garbage disposal because they become balls that clog the entire system up.
Coffee Grounds - A little at a time you might get away with but not a whole basket full.
Fruit Seeds - They are too small to be caught by the disposal blender.
Shrimp Shells - Bad, plus they stink.
Rice & Noodles - The high starch content causes a bad reaction with the other items put in with them.
You must be wondering - so what can I put in there? Anything that is easily chopped up and blended is fine. Apply some common sense and you should be ok. The golden rule though is “If in doubt, keep it out”.
Now you know what items to keep out of your garbage disposal, here are some additional tips to keep your garbage disposal in top condition…
- Regularly pour water down it.
- Throw some ice in there - it will freeze anything that may be stuck and knock it out.
- Throw some lime or lemon juice down there every so often to keep it smelling fresh.
Doing all of the above will ensure that your garbage disposal remains in good working order for as long as possible. They are not cheap pieces of equipment so, to avoid an awkward conversation with the guy from your home insurance provider, make sure that you take care of your garbage disposal.
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