When you become a homeowner, you'll be responsible for handling any fixes and maintenance around the house, including plumbing repairs. It's easy to clog the kitchen sink by putting the wrong items into the garbage disposal, and you may be creating more work for yourself unknowingly. Use this guide to find out what shouldn’t be placed down the disposal.

3 Items That Should Never Go Down the Kitchen Disposal

1. Bones & Pits

Many first-time homeowners overestimate the disposal’s grinding power,  throwing in chicken bones, peach pits, and other solid debris. Although these items come from food, their consistency is closer to rocks and stones. The blades will dull, as they aren't strong enough to break up hte solid matter. Always deposit bones and pits in the trash.

2. Pasta & Rice

If these soft, starchy ingredients go down the drain, they’ll soak up the water in the pipes. The pasta and rice will expand and form a large, soggy clump that sticks to the pipe’s walls and causes clogs. Even if there are just a few noodles or grains of rice left on your dinner plate, scrape them into the trash before washing the dish.

3. Celery & Corn Husks

These vegetables are known for their strong, fibrous composition. If you add corn husks or celery endings into the garbage disposal, the fibers will wrap around the blades as they move. Since the blades will be immobile in the fiber tangle, the motor will overwork itself and eventually break. Include these scraps in your fertilizer if you compost, or throw them in the trash.

 

If you need plumbing repairs due to a clogged or broken garbage disposal, contact the team at Paradise Plumbing in Haleiwa, HI. This locally operated company has provided Oahu homeowners with reliable disposal maintenance, repairs, and installations for over 15 years. Their licensed contractors are available 24/7, ensuring you’ll have assistance at any time of day. For more information about their plumbing repairs and services, visit the website or call (808) 368-1473.