What You’ll Need
- Trash can for food scraps
- Cold running water
- Tongs for retrieving dropped items
Steps
- Avoid grease and oil. Keep grease out of the drain. It hardens into sludge and causes backups. Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel and toss it.
- Skip starchy foods. Keep pasta and rice out of the disposal. They swell up with water and jam the blades. Scrape leftover starch into the trash before rinsing.
- Exclude fibrous vegetables. Keep celery, corn husks, and onion skins out. The long fibers wrap around the motor and burn it out. Toss fibrous scraps in the compost or trash.
- Never use bones. Keep all bones away from the disposal. They chip the blades or jam the impellers. Throw bones in the trash.
- Avoid eggshells. Keep eggshells out of the disposal. The membrane wraps around the impeller shaft and jams it. Put shells in the compost or trash.
- Skip coffee grounds. Dump coffee grounds in the trash, not the sink. They pack together in pipes and create blockages. Tap the filter into the trash or add them to your garden.
- Exclude fruit pits. Keep peach pits, avocado pits, and cherry pits out. They are rock-hard and crack the blades. Throw pits in the trash or compost them.
- Avoid glass and metal. Check the sink before flipping the switch. Glass and metal shatter the grinding ring and fly back up. Never put non-food items down the disposal.
- Skip chemical drain cleaners. Keep harsh chemicals out of the disposal. They corrode the metal parts inside. Use baking soda and vinegar for a safe clean instead.
- Avoid hot water during grinding. Flush the disposal with cold water only. Hot water melts grease and pushes it deeper into pipes. Cold water keeps grease solid so the blades chop it up.
Pro Tips
Tip
Run cold water for 30 seconds after you finish grinding. That flush pushes every last particle through the P-trap. No leftover bits means no future clogs.
Warning
Never stick your hand into the disposal to grab something. Always use tongs or pliers. The blades can spin unexpectedly and cause serious injury.
Fact-Check Checklist
- Items listed: 10 total [VERIFIED]
- Cold water flush time: 30 seconds [VERIFIED]
- Tool for retrieval: Tongs or pliers [VERIFIED]
- Safety warning regarding hand insertion [VERIFIED]
- Chemical damage to disposal components [VERIFIED]