Garbage disposal is a beautiful thing: it makes quick work of food scraps and other waste products, converting them into products that can easily be transported away.

However, many of us do not take proper advantage of a disposal’s usefulness and often put things down there that we really should not.

If you use a garbage disposal and don’t follow any rules, it can be problematic. To be on the safe side, commercial garbage disposal repair professionals recommend you to be ultra-cautious of what you allow down your unit.

What shouldn’t you put down your garbage disposal? Here are some of them:

Raw foods

Raw vegetables and meat are a big no-no in the disposal. Even if they’re ground up, they can still get caught in the blades, where they will oxidize and create messy deposits on the moving parts.

Raw meat, eggs, and vegetables — These all contain certain enzymes that break down protein-based foods. When these enzymes contact metal and plastic parts in the disposal, they can cause corrosion leading to leaks or even complete breakdown of the unit.

If you need to dispose of raw meat, eggs, or vegetables after cooking them, place them in a sealed bag before tossing them into the trash.

Fats, oils and grease

Many people use their garbage disposal to get rid of leftover food and other organic items like grease, fat, and gristle. But this can prove to be extremely harmful to your plumbing.

Tossing these things into the garbage disposal can cause clogs and expensive plumbing repairs.
Fatty foods like bacon grease, butter, or any vegetable oil cause them to liquefy and form a solid mass that can easily clog your pipes. That’s why it’s best to keep these items away from a garbage disposal.

Not only will these clog up your pipes, but they also can solidify in cold weather and create an enormous mess outside your home when they thaw out.

Metals

Many people throw metal objects down their garbage disposals without a thought, but you should never do this; even if you’re disposing of a small piece of metal, it can cause serious damage to the blades. This can be extremely dangerous if you use a garbage disposal with blades.

Sharp objects can damage your garbage disposal and even cause personal injury. Even if you attempt to grind up glass, metal, or another hard object, you may find that it does not grind up well. It will most likely become stuck in the disposal and could cause damage as you try to dislodge it.

Eggshells

Tossing eggshells into the garbage disposal is a common mistake made by homeowners who want to remove the shells quickly. But eggshells can clog the disposal and make it difficult to use.

If you want to dispose of eggshells down your disposal, you need to put them in a bag first. Then put the bag in something else so that it can’t get caught in the blades of your disposal. You could also try freezing them before disposing of them down the garbage disposal to don’t break apart too much.

Bottom Line

Garbage disposals are vital in disposing of wastes like food waste and even toys, but we should remember that some things shouldn’t be put in them for safety or environmental reasons.

If you put the wrong things down your disposal or don’t use it properly, you’re asking for trouble. The good news is that avoiding these items altogether can help you keep your disposal in great shape and eliminate many of the problems associated with improper use.

As you can guess, this saves you money as you don’t need to regularly hire commercial appliances repair McLean to fix your appliance.