Your kitchen’s garbage disposal is a sound investment. When it runs properly, it is an incredibly useful tool designed to remove waste and odors from your household. Your entire kitchen will operate more efficiently. After cooking, cleanup is a breeze. However, many homeowners feel they can shove anything they wish down the disposal and it will work as intended. That is incorrect, though; a garbage disposal is not designed for bones, coffee grounds, or grease, for example. It is easy to avoid a clog or broken disposal, though. This holiday season, schedule plumbing maintenance to keep your garbage disposal in top shape.
Garbage Disposal Maintenance Tips
First and foremost, let us provide you with a few useful tips we have gathered over the years as professional plumbers. If you follow this advice, you’ll find that your home’s garbage disposal remains in top shape for far longer. Ahead of the holidays, you need a working disposal.
- When disposing of anything in the garbage disposal, be sure to use plenty of water. Each time you operate the disposal, turn on the cold water and listen for the grinding sound to lessen into nothing more than a soft whirring. Then, shut off the device and allow the water to run just a little longer.
- When you do run water alongside the disposal, be sure to only use cold water. Hot water does not damage the disposal, however, cold water is better suited to removing grease and fats that mistakenly find their way into the disposal.
- Do your very best to avoid hard, fibrous food materials. A garbage disposal is designed for small pieces of food debris that can be ground into smaller bits and pieces with ease. You never want to put seeds, kernels, or bones into the disposal. Furthermore, anything with strong fibers can cause the disposal to jam, so it is best to avoid onion skin, egg shells, or corn husks, too.
- Try to keep your disposal sparkling clean. Over time, a garbage disposal will accumulate food debris and sludge along the sides and blades. Do not use chemical drain cleaning solutions, though, as these cause more harm than help. Instead, opt for a natural remedy. One popular solution is baking soda combined with vinegar in the drain itself.
- Always use your garbage disposal with immense caution. Do not ever put your hands into the disposal. If something is clogging the disposal, any sudden release, such as you removing the item with your fingers, will cause the blades to react violently. Instead, use pliers or call for professional plumbing service. Ideally, always contact an expert plumber for garbage disposal service.
Your home’s garbage disposal is a complex piece of machinery. It must be well-maintained and occasionally cleaned to operate at peak performance. Trust in bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of Little Rock for exceptional garbage disposal services.
Schedule an appointment with us by calling 501-207-0818. We guarantee results whenever you call our plumbing service!