Garbage Disposer Usage Tips
The garbage disposer in the kitchen sink is usually taken for granted, until it stops working. Keeping it running smoothly for years is easy if you treat it right. Listed below are some tips about what your garbage disposal can and cannot do. Following these tips will help to ensure that you get years of service out of your sink's scraps grinder.
Do:
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Do run cold water the entire time while grinding waste
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Do grind beef bones, chicken bones, peach pits and other hard scraps
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Do grind lemon or orange peels to freshen the drain and eliminate odors
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Do let water and disposer run for several seconds after grinding is complete to ensure no debris blocks the drain
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Do grind ice to clean the blades and impeller of clinging food particles
Don't:
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Don't reach into the disposer with your hand, use tongs and only when the unit is unplugged
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Don't grind fibrous foods like corn husks, artichokes, banana peels or celery
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Don't operate the disposer without running water
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Don't use hot water for grinding, it melts fats which later may clog the drain
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Don't grind coffee grounds. They aren't a problem for the disposer but they build up in the pipes.