Can I Put Food Down a Garbage Disposal?
Kitchen garbage disposals are a convenient appliance that normally requires low maintenance. Disposals are especially nice to have during summer months when placing food scraps in the outgoing trash could produce odors. Learning what you can and cannot use the disposal for will keep your unit in good working condition. Does this Spark an idea?
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Normal Use
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Most table scraps will not be a problem for a garbage disposal when disposed of with the proper procedure. Cold running water is a must while using the disposal. The cold water solidifies any fatty or greasy scraps, making the blades more easily chop the food. Keep the water and disposal running for at least 30 seconds after all the food has left the disposal. Extending the time to grind the food will ensure nothing is left behind to promote bacteria growth or unpleasant odors.
Foods to Avoid
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Some foods must be avoided to keep the disposal from becoming obstructed or prematurely dulling the blades. Fibrous foods, such as celery and corn husks, have a tendency to wrap string fibers around the mechanism, causing a failure of the unit. Potato peels and cooked rice are starchy, and a gummy mess could cause problems. Eggshells, coffee grounds, bones, popcorn kernels, seeds and uncooked fat are a few more items to avoid. Other food items to avoid are the hard ends from vegetables, such as carrots and corn cobs. Kitchen disposals are only meant for food, so you should never try to dispose of plastic ties, rubber bands, grease or hair, to name a few.
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Care
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You can keep your disposal odor free with a few simple tricks. Add white vinegar or lemon juice to ice cubes, and run the ice cubes through the disposal. The vinegar or lemon will help keep odors at bay as well as help keep the blades sharp. The action of the flying cubes will also knock off food particles attached to the sides. A buildup of debris that is still present, even after using ice cubes, can be brushed away. Unplug the disposal for safety, and insert a long-handled brush inside the unit. Scrub the inside of the disposal with the brush, and continue to clean until the brush looks clean. Rinse the brush repeatedly to remove the gunk. Finish cleaning the sides by spraying the brush with your favorite household cleaner. Don't forget to plug the unit into the socket when you finish cleaning.
Warnings
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Unplug the unit before removing any foreign objects. The plug is located underneath the sink. Hard objects that have accidentally dropped inside can ruin the blades and should always be removed before running the disposal. Never insert a hard object into the unit to unclog the disposal while it is running.
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