Five Things You Should Never Put Down the Garbage Disposal
Here are a few tips from Grogg’s Home Services to keep your plumbing in the Parkersburg area in perfect working order. Below are the items you should never put down your garbage disposal.
Pasta and Rice
The longer that pasta and rice sit in water, the more they swell. In your plumbing, this can cause a clog or cause your disposal trap to fill up.
Grease, Oil, or Fat
Hot oil is only a liquid until it cools down. It easily solidifies and hardens in your drain. Oil, liquid fats and grease should never go down your drain in any way.
Paper Garbage
Not all garbage should go through your garbage disposal. With paper garbage, including scrub pads, wipes, cotton balls, paper towels and paper, you can run into trouble doing so.
Coffee Grounds
You might have read or heard someone say that coffee grounds will help your drain stay clean. While they may seem to go down your disposal just fine, the problem lies in how they bind together later down your plumbing. One idea for reusing your coffee grounds is to sprinkle them on your garden. Plants are not bothered by them, but pests such as ants and slugs are repelled by them.
Starchy, Stringy Vegetables
Avoid putting these stringy, starchy and fibrous vegetables down your drain:
- Potato Peels
- Asparagus
- Artichokes
- Kale
- Chard
- Celery
- Lettuce
- Rhubarb
The fibers can wrap around your disposal and plug it up.