plumbing

A garbage disposal is a blessing if you have it. Though it is supposed to grind, crush and get rid of most of your organic leftovers, you should be careful when using it as some everyday food items may damage it. Take care of your helpful and loyal sink assistant and avoid putting these food items in it at all cost.

Coffee grounds

Never and I repeat, never pour your coffee grounds into the garbage disposal. Although not harmful in small quantities, an accumulation can cause plumbing issues. As a coffee lover myself, I know that starting your day with the perfect cup of coffee can make your whole day. But while coffee grounds make the ideal coffee, it can be detrimental to your garbage disposal. The discarded grounds are dense and super compact; this is why you filter it to make coffee. Now imagine what this could do to your plumbing. It will amass there and eventually clog your drain. Instead of pouring them down the drain, use them to fertilize your plants as they contain many nutrients that are naturally absent from the soil and will help your plants grow stronger. You might even want to compost it with other organic leftovers like potato and onion peel.

Eggshells

Just like the last item on this list, eggshells also go down the drain quickly easily, but it is also bad for your pipes, especially if they are old. Eggshells are sedimentary in nature, that is it settles at the bottom of liquids and forms a mass. Over time this will either clog your drains or will slow down the water flow. These sediments will not only clog your pipes but will also make them smell putrid. The myth that eggshell will sharpen the blades of your garbage disposal is entirely bogus. While they don’t damage the blades per se, they don’t sharpen them either. Many city wastewater associations also deter you from doing this, so in the long run, this will only land you in hot water or, in this case, clogged waters. Instead, like any other disposable food item, compost it. If you don’t have a compost bin, throw it in the trash.

Fibrous vegetables

Putting high fiber vegetables like kale, lettuce, asparagus, rhubarb and celery is a big no-no. These fibers can wrap around the blades of your garbage disposal, rendering them less efficient. You can throw them in the disposal if there are just a few of them, but be sure to chop them prior to doing this. When chopped, the fibers become more manageable for your trusted helper. The stringy material will not only clog your pipes, but it may also jam the internal unit . . If this happens, you’ll definitely have to call a plumber to fix it, and you might even have to change the motor if it is beyond repair. Throw these long fibrous vegetables direct in the trash to avoid any future inconvenience and money loss. 

celery

Tips

By avoiding these food wastes, you are not only saving money in the long run, but you are also helping your food waste disposal machine to do its job at its maximal capacity. One quick maintenance tip is to let cold water run through it for 30 seconds after it’s done with its job. If it starts to smell, again, don’t put coffee grounds through them but rather put some ice or baking soda in and turn your grinding machine on.

Sound off in the comments below if you learned anything new and if you’ve been pouring these food items down your sink.

3 things that will destroy your garbage disposal.
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