Don’t Do Your Disposal Dirty
What Not to Put in a Garbage Disposal
What a Garbage Disposal Can Do
First things first. What is a garbage disposal used for and why are they in our kitchens? In short, they’re there to make our lives easier by gobbling up small scraps of food that would otherwise end up in stinky trash bins.
Problem is, they can’t safely handle everything we try to feed them. Here’s a quick guide to what you should and shouldn’t toss into your garbage disposal.
What Not to Put in a Garbage Disposal
Starchy Foods
Surprisingly, staples like pasta, rice and breads aren’t great for a garbage disposal because they can expand and clog things up.
Coffee Grounds
Another surprising one for some of us. Turns out coffee grounds turn to sticky paste and are notorious for gunking up the grinder.
Animal Bones
While a few fish or chicken bones aren’t the end of the world, bigger bones are too much for your disposal to handle.
Nuts, Shells & Pits
Anything round, hard and small is difficult to grind, so nuts, shells, pits and seeds will only rattle around your disposal and drive your neighbors batty.
Fibrous Fruits & Veggies
Stringy stuff like celery, asparagus, banana peels and corn husks should be avoided, as they can tangle up your grinder. Special shout out to onions that cause all kinds of havoc.
Egg Shells
Yeah, aunty was wrong about this one. Not only do egg shells NOT help to sharpen your disposal’s blades (there are no blades), egg membranes can get wrapped up in your grinder.
Oil & Grease
Oils congeal over time and can cause nasty clogs in your drain.
What You Can Put Down a Garbage Disposal
Ice
Grinding ice may sound horrible, but it can help to keep things clean.
Citrus Peels
There’s nothing better than refreshing your garbage disposal with a few zesty citrus peels.
Cooked Meat
Avoid raw meat that can get pasty and stringy when ground, but cooked scraps are just fine.
Biodegradable Soap
Dishwashing soap is fine for your disposal, and recommended to keep things smelling fresh and clean.
What Not to Put in a Garbage Disposal: Do’s and Don’ts
- DO: run your disposal regularly to help flush away residue.
- DO: call a professional plumber if you experience a problem with your disposal.
- DON'T: treat your garbage disposal like a garbage can.
- DON'T: feed your disposal anything you couldn’t cut with a knife.
