It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard before- Mesa Plumbing Company would like to tell you that the garbage disposal in your home isn’t as tough as you think.
Having a garbage disposal in your home is a blessing – there is no doubt about that. You have no trouble with the food scraps you end up with everyday. It is, however, only a blessing if you know how to use it!
If you don’t, you may only be inducing a headache for yourself – one that is expensive to fix. This is because garbage disposals bring about plumbing problems that are caused because of the things you put through them. Mesa Plumbing Company has a lot of experience in such matters, and over the years- we have learned that garbage disposals aren’t as tough as people believe they are.
Due to this very reason, we would like to help every homeowner avoid problems that are related to garbage disposals. With our advice, you will be able to prevent a lot of mishaps in the future. We’re going to move forward with a list of 12 Do’s and Don’ts. These will cover what should and shouldn’t be passed down your garbage disposal unit and how to care for it.
Spend a few minutes understanding these guidelines, and you will have saved a lot of money and time for yourself!
Garbage Disposal DOs and Dont's
DO...
1) - Use Plenty of Water
If you keep running water through the garbage disposal in your home, then you’ll find that its useful life will have been extended exponentially. Doing so is vital for these fixtures in order to flush all those tiny bits of foods out of them or avoid them from getting stuck in the first place.
2) - Use Dish Soap
The experts at a reputable Mesa Plumbing Company would like to advise every homeowner to get themselves a dish soap that is great at fighting against grease. By doing so, they will have effectively avoided grime and gunk from getting stuck inside the garbage disposal.
If all of these contaminants are stuck inside, these dish soaps will clean them in no time. Simply squeeze a little bit of dish soap into the garbage disposal then turn it on. While doing so, you may also run cold water through the fixture for about 15 seconds.
3) - Use Citrus to Keep the Garbage Disposal Fresh
We expect a lot from our garbage disposals – so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they begin smelling funny after some time. If you’re experiencing a similar problem, simply pour a little lemon juice into your garbage disposal while it is running in order to remove the foul smell. You may also go ahead and use orange and lemon peels in order to induce the same effect.
4) - Follow the Manufacturer’s Instructions
Every garbage disposal is manufactured in a slightly different manner. This is why we, at Mesa Plumbing Company, advise that you read your garbage disposal instructions in order to find specific instructions. With these, you will be able to get the best out of your fixture.
5) - Run Cold Water Through the Disposal
This may seem a little counter intuitive – because of the fact that cold water makes oils and fats coagulate, but you need to trust our advice. Running cold water through your garbage disposal will actually help it break down all these contaminants.
Oils and fats in their liquid forms tend to solidify a little further down in the pipe – which is the usual reason for clogs. If you wish to steer clear of such problems, we would advise that you run cold water through your garbage disposal.
6) - Allow the Water to Run After Use
After you are done using your garbage disposal, you should make it a habit to run water over it for atleast a minute in order to flush all the food particles. This simple step will go a long way to prevent clogs in the long run.
DON'T...
1) - Use Chemical Cleaners in Garbage Disposals
The experts at a Mesa Plumbing Company have found that harsh chemicals in drain cleaners and bleach have a knack of damaging and corroding the plumbing system. Other than doing so, we advise homeowners to use gentler methods like the ones mentioned above to keep their garbage disposal clean.
2) - Run Hard Food Items Through Your Disposal
Hard food items like nuts, shrimp shells, and animal bones (and the likes) prove to be a little too much for these garbage disposal systems. Make sure that these items are disposed off in the trash and not in the garbage disposal.
3) - Pour Fats and Oil Down the Drain
There will always be a possibility for oils and fats to harden down in your drain. This is why it is always best to simply avoid pouring them down in the garbage disposal altogether.
4) - Place Anything That Isn’t Food in the Garbage Disposal
Garbage disposals are only made for food scraps. This means that anything like sponges, glass, wood, metal, etc. should be fished out of the garbage disposal!
5) - Put Egg Shells in the Garbage Disposal
Egg shells are a very big no-no for garbage disposals. This is because of the fact that these shells will quite simply adhere to the disposal blades of your fixture and come in the way of them functioning properly. You’ll be far better off if your just dispose of these egg shells in the compost or trash can.
6) - Put Fibrous Foods in the Garbage Disposal
There are some foods in your storage that may have stringy parts or fibrous textures. These foods include celery, onion skins, lettuce, potatoes, etc. If these foods are disposed off in the garbage disposal, they will get caught on the disposal blades.
Mesa Plumbing Company Can Help You with Emergency Repairs
Do you need to get your garbage disposal fixed immediately? Well call our office directly at (480) 832-1660 or visit our website for more information.