To keep providing a convenient way to get rid of food scraps, your garbage disposal needs maintenance. When it breaks down, you can have a plumber look at it, but in between, you should be careful how you use it if you want to extend its life. Follow these rules to avoid clogs, jams, odors, motor damage, and more.

Do:

Keep it clean.

After you run your disposal, wash it to remove food residue. Pour a little dish soap inside and then turn it on and run cold water down it. You can also put a little citrus peel down the disposal every week or so to cut through any unpleasant smells.

Learn the controls.

Your garbage disposal has a manual crank lever on the underside, which you or your plumber can use to move the blades and loosen up a jam. It also has a reset button that you should press if the unit suddenly stops working. Take some time now to locate these controls on your unit so you'll know where they are in an emergency.

Don't:

Dispose of anything hard or sticky.

Tossing bones down your garbage disposal can jam it and burn out the motor. Put them in the trash instead. Also, don't pour sticky, starchy foods like rice and pasta down there, as they'll smear along the walls of the garbage disposal and get stuck. Most importantly, never pour cooking grease down the disposal or any other drain, or you'll be calling a plumber to unblock the drain after the grease hardens. Instead, pour the grease into a dish or an old coffee can to cool. Then, throw it in the trash when it's solid.

Run the disposal without water.

Water helps lubricate the blades and washes scraps of food down the drain when they're small enough. Without water, your disposal will quickly get gummed up with food debris and grease and you will need more frequent drain cleaning. Make sure the water you use is cold to help keep food scraps firm instead of them softening and smearing.

If there's a problem with your garbage disposal, call Wild West Plumbing Heating & Drain Service in Kalispell, MT, for plumbing service. Their licensed plumbers serve a 35-mile radius from their location, including the Flathead Valley region. They have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau® and offer a two-year warranty on their work. Call (406) 752-1244 to schedule an appointment. Learn more about their services online.