No one likes to wake up to a clogged drain. One of the biggest reasons why household drains become clogged is due to the garbage disposal. Many people treat the garbage disposal as an end-all-be-all for waste. However, there are many things that you actually cannot put in to the garbage disposal.
Here is a list of the top three factors that lead to kitchen sink drain issues.
1. Hot grease
You have probably heard that you shouldn’t pour hot grease down your sink drains, and the same goes for the garbage disposal. The grease slowly beings to harden as it goes through the pipe and will solidify causing a blockage. The best way to deal with hot grease is to wait for it to place it in a jar or container, wait for it to solidify, and then dispose of it in the trash can.
2.Coffee grounds & tea leaves
Coffee grounds and tea leaves are not good for garbage disposals because of their consistency. The grounds and leaves create a sediment build up that can get caught in the u-shaped section of your drain. Over time, the grounds will build up and cause your drain to become plugged.
3.Flour, pasta, potatoes, and vegetable peels
The best place to put vegetables and carbohydrates like pasta and potatoes is in the compost. These items create a glue-like consistency when mixed with water and ground down. The items build up and create blockages very quickly.
It is also helpful to run water down the garbage disposal when you are using it to help aid the materials down the pipe.
When using the garbage disposal it is important to remember that it is not a magic machine that makes all of your food disappear. If you have any doubts about whether or not something should go down the drain, your best bed is to either put it in the compost or in the garbage. It’s always better to be safe than to accidentally cause a clog in your drain and incur unwanted repair bills.
Here is a list of things that are okay to put down the garbage disposal drain:
- Small bits of food after a meal – if you only have a little bit of food left, you can go ahead and put it in the disposal. Don’t forget to run water while you do this. Larger portions of left over food should be composted or thrown in the trash.
- Breads – breads dissolve quite easily with enough water and are okay to put down the disposal.
- Cooked meats – avoid putting bones in and make sure that you only put in small pieces. It is also important to remember to run the water while using the disposal.
- Ice – ice may make quite a bit of noise, but it will not harm the garbage disposal.