Part of most residential plumbing systems, garbage disposals feature shredding mechanisms that grind up food waste to create less trash. And while they offer the convenience many homeowners find attractive, they must be handled with care. Learn what does and does not belong in your garbage disposal to keep your residential plumbing system operating efficiently.

What Belongs in My Garbage Disposal & What Doesn’t?

What You Can Grind

Use your garbage disposal to get rid of spoiled soft foods such as applesauce, baby’s food, and yogurt, none of which tax the appliance. Shredded and chopped foods also require less energy to dispose of, such as shredded carrots and chopped up peppers or cucumbers. Liquids such as fruit juice, cold water, and dish detergent can also be poured down your garbage disposal without harming your residential plumbing system.

Always run cold water for about 30 seconds before turning on your disposal and for about 30 seconds after to thoroughly flush food particles. Hot water can cause the waste in your disposal to form lumpy clogs.

What Should Always Stay Out

Keep a wide variety of items out of your garbage disposal to avoid clogs and other residential plumbing issues such as cracked pipes and leaks. Any foods that expand in water should never go down your disposal, including rice, barley, and other whole grains, as well as pasta. Fibrous foods such as celery, lettuce, onion skins, and potato peelings also go in the regular trash instead of the disposal because they are stringy and get tangled in the blades. The fibrous membrane eggshells feature also cause blade issues.

Other items to keep out of your disposal include all animal bones since they are too hard on the blades, as well as coffee grounds, nuts, seeds, and fruit pits. All turn into clumpy pastes in garbage disposals. You’ll also want to pour oil, fat, and grease in your trash can instead of the disposal because they harden when they get cold and create clogs.

Keep non-food items out of your garbage disposal as well to prevent residential plumbing clogs and blade damage, such as rubber bands and cigarette butts.

If it’s time for new garbage disposal installation or you need any other residential plumbing services, rely on GNG Plumbing and The Hardware Store to provide the assistance you need. The locally-owned Orange Beach, AL, business has served Baldwin County for nearly 30 years and offers 24/7 emergency plumbing services among others. Call (251) 974-5630 today to schedule an appointment or visit the website for service details. Follow the Twitter feed for more residential plumbing tips.