Clogged drains are a major inconvenience, and garbage disposal repair or replacement can be costly.

Just because your disposal can grind up just about anything does not mean that your home’s plumbing—let alone your city’s waste system—can handle large amounts of food waste.

Do These Things to keep your garbage disposal healthy:

1. Run your garbage disposal regularly

Frequent use prevents rust and corrosion, making sure that all parts stay moving to prevent small obstructions from accumulating.

2. Run cold water

Always run a strong cold water flow before you turn it on to grind food waste. Cold water will cause any grease or oils that may get into the unit to solidify so that they can be chopped up before reaching the trap.

3. Cut large items into smaller pieces

It’s hard on the machine if you force large pieces of anything. Put pieces into the garbage disposal a few at a time with the cold water running instead of trying to shove a large amount in all at once.

Don’t Do These Things:

4. Don’t pour down grease, oil, or fat

Grease will slowly accumulate and not only stop the disposal from grinding up food particles—it will also create drain clogs that you do not want to experience.

5. Don’t use hot water when grinding food waste

Hot water will cause grease to liquefy and accumulate, causing—you guessed it—hopelessly clogged drains!

6. Don’t grind anything fibrous

Don’t grind anything that’s tough and fibrous like eggshells, corn husks, celery, onion skins, and artichokes. Fibers from these can tangle and jam the garbage disposal motor and block drains. Citrus peel, while touted by many as a great way to freshen and clean this appliance, are a problem just waiting to happen.

7. Don’t stop cold water until grinding is finished

When grinding is complete, turn off the garbage disposal first. Let a strong flow of cold water continue to run for at least 15 seconds, flushing out any remaining particles. Then turn off the water.

8. Don’t put potato peels down the garbage disposal

The starches in the potatoes will turn into a thick paste and may cause blades to stick and oh boy, what a mess you’ll have. Do yourself a favor and put potato peels into the compost pile or garbage can.

9. Don’t put large amounts down all at once

If you must, feed food into the garbage disposal a little at a time with the cold water running; this will help the food scraps flow down freely through the drain pipes and plumbing. Stuffing, cramming are not actions enjoyed by any disposal or plumbing situation.

10. Don’t put in expandable foods

Don’t put things like pasta and rice into your garbage disposal. If it expands as you cook it, that’s what will happen in your pipes or the disposal itself. Result? Jams and clogs.

11. Don’t put coffee grounds down a garbage disposal

Even though small amounts of coffee grounds won’t harm the garbage disposal and can actually help eliminate odors, the problem is coffee grounds can accumulate in drains and pipes, causing clogs. It’s best just to avoid it.

When you drop coffee grounds down your disposal, they clump–just like they do when you pour water on them in the coffeemaker. When coffee grounds clump together, they stick to themselves and everything around them. They stick to disposal blades and the sides of pipes. If you drop them into your drain they’ll make a big, gross clog in no time.

12. Don’t use bleach or drain cleaners

These products can damage blades and pipes. There are much better ways to keep that drain running clean and clear.

13. Don’t put in anything that is non-biodegradable

Don’t ever (that means never) put anything in the disposal that is not biodegradable food. Your disposal is not a trash can. Don’t grind glass, plastic, metal, paper towels, etc...

14. Don’t use your hand to retrieve

Never put your hand in the garbage disposal to retrieve fallen items. Turn off (unplug) the disposal first and then use tongs to retrieve any fallen items.

A Good Rule

A good rule of thumb is that when in doubt, toss it out (in the garbage) and not down your sink’s garbage disposal.