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When you’re working hard in the kitchen this holiday season, the garbage disposal might seem like a simple fix for small messes. However, some food scraps should never go down there. Use the following list to keep your system in check and avoid emergency calls to a plumbing service.

What You Should Never Put Down the Garbage Disposal

1. Oil & Grease

While these substances are liquids when hot, they will quickly cool when poured down the drain, solidifying in the process. Eventually, this oily residue will accumulate and form wax-like blockages in your plumbing system. In the garbage disposal, this could even result in back flow, causing food waste to come gurgling back up the drain.

2. Coffee Grounds

plumbing serviceYou might be tempted to dump out the contents of your espresso or coffeemaker in the sink, but even your garbage disposal can’t handle this messy ingredient. When wet, the grounds form a clumpy paste, which will have trouble moving down the drain. Plus, the blades inside your garbage disposal won’t break it up since the beans are already ground into fine specks. They will only coat the blades and your pipes until a complete clog forms.

3. Egg Shells

In addition to peach pits and animal bones, egg shells must be kept out of the garbage disposal. These thin pieces can damage the grind chamber when the blades are active. Cleaning garbage disposals with abrasive food items has been touted as a household trick, but if this fixture is dirty, it’s much safer to hire a plumbing service to clean it.

 

If you’re just learning about these tips and have already damaged your garbage disposal, get in touch with Cartright’s Plumbing and Septic Service of Checotah, OK. This family-run plumbing service has over 20 years of experience tending to pipes, fixtures, heaters, and septic systems. For more information on their offerings, visit the website. You can also call (918) 894-0902 to schedule plumbing service.

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