How To: Keep Your Garbage Disposal Maintained!
Your garbage disposal is one of the simplest appliances in your home to use; however, it is also a commonly misused item! In order to always keep your garbage disposal happy there are tips you should keep in mind to ensure you are continually using it correctly. Happy garbage disposal…happy life!
*One thing to always be sure of is to know what can and CANNOT go down your garbage disposal!
–Grease: once grease has been sitting at room temperature for a while it will begin to solidify which will clog up the inside and cause a big mess.
–Hot water: using hot water mixed with any small amount of grease left over will cause nastiness and create clogs.
–Potato peels: when combined with water, potato peels make a thick paste which can clog various parts inside your garbage disposal and make it very unhappy!
–Starchy foods: in addition to potato peels, another food item you should not put down your garbage disposal is starchy foods! These types of foods such as pastas are known to expand when submerged which can also cause a clogged mess.
–Large bones: always avoid putting large bones down your garbage disposal to avoid creating costly damage to the grinder blades inside.
*A second thing to keep in mind is how to properly maintain your garbage disposal!
–Use dish soap: when running your garbage disposal using cold water you can add a small amount of dish soap as a way to clean those hard to reach areas inside.
–Regular use: to help keep your garbage disposal happy be sure to regularly use it. If you let it sit for too long you may experience rust start to form from inactivity.
–Odor control: because so many different types of foods pass through your garbage disposal it’s bound to start smelling strange once all of the smells are mixed together. To control the odor use citrus peels to mask the smell!
–Run cold water: as mentioned above always use cold water when your garbage disposal is in use!
–Small bones: although we mentioned above that large bones should not go into your garbage disposal it turns out that small bones are okay. Small bones can be used to bounce around the inside and clean any gunk that may be building up.
–Ice cubes: to keep your garbage disposal happy it’s a good idea to place 10-15 ice cubes down it once a month. The ice cubes will bounce around helping clean the inside, help sharpen blades and melt once finished to avoid a mess.
In order to keep your garbage disposal happy and keep it around for as long as you’ll need it be sure to keep the tips mentioned above in mind! Although a garbage disposal is simple to operate, it is also connected to your home’s electrical and plumbing components. Unless you are experienced, should any problems arise, it’s always best to call a professional! BELOMAN has been servicing the Metro East for 60 years. Make your home a #BELOMANhome today. We offer heating, cooling, plumbing, indoor air quality, home energy efficiency and pest solution services to make your family’s home more comfortable. Check out our website here or give us a call at (618) BEL-OMAN!
