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Garbage disposals are one of the many wonderful conveniences of modern society —except when they fail. In a busy household, it is easy to lose patience with garbage disposal issues, and they soon seem like they are not worth the hassle.
However, garbage disposal should have few problems if they are properly used and maintained. Unfortunately, many households scrape far too much into their sinks. It may save time at the moment, but will later cause a big headache with the disposal.
To find out what foods to avoid, check out the list below.
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Any Type of Fat or Grease
Good homeowners know that oil, fat, and grease congeals when it gets cold, clogging up the pipes. Few people, however, remember that ingredients like butter and other dairy has the same problem. These items even cause 75% of city sewage clogs.
If your meal was cooked with creamy ingredients, try to scrape all food waste into the trash before washing the dishes. Then, only use cold water when operating the garbage disposal.
Things That Are Not Food
This seems obvious, but it has to be said. Every year, some people attempt to dispose of non-food items in the garbage disposal. Nothing outside of food should ever enter this machine.
Any Kind of Pasta or Rice
Starchy foods in large quantities will cause garbage disposal issues. These foods love to clump together, clogging the blades of this machine. This paste is like a glue that is hard to remove.
Of course, a small amount of starchy food is no problem. For bigger amounts, just scrape it into the trash to be safe.
Stringy, Fibrous Food Waste
Fibrous foods are stringy, which easily get tangled in garbage disposals. This food group includes things like corn husks, bean pods, and celery. They’re great for the human digestive system, but not for the sink’s digestive system.
In fact, vegetable waste can have the same effect. Too much of it at once can also clog the system.
Big Bones
Big bones are hard and can ruin the motor of the garbage disposal. Save them for your dog or just throw them in the trash.
Surprisingly, many manufacturers insist that disposals can pulverize small bones. Make sure to check the manual of your model or contact the manufacturer first. A high horsepower garbage disposal is likely to be capable of the job. Modern disposals actually use centrifugal force, not blades, to process food waste.
Fixing Garbage Disposal Issues
Garbage disposal is a sturdy machine when used properly; however, it is likely that food will get stuck in there at some point and cause garbage disposal issues. When that happens, remember to never stick your hand into the disposal.
Removing a stuck object can trigger the blades to move. Instead, grab a tool (like pliers) to pull the object out.
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