The Kitchen Garbage Disposal

The Kitchen Garbage Disposal

July 2025 Newsletter | Kenneth Bargers

The kitchen garbage disposal - it's not a flashy appliance but this workhorse makes daily clean-up easier in the kitchen. The garbage disposal is sturdy and dependable when used and maintained properly. Treat your garbage disposal well - proper maintenance and operation will extend the life of your garbage disposal and prevent plumbing and drain mishaps.

Operation Tips

The most important rule of thumb: do not put anything in the garbage disposal that is not biodegradable food. A garbage disposal is not a trash can; it is for food scraps only. Nonfood items can damage both blades and the motor. When in doubt, throw it out!

Do not turn off the motor or water until grinding is completed. When grinding is complete, turn off the garbage disposal first. Let water continue to run for at least 15 seconds, flushing out any remaining particles. Then turn off water.

Use cold water. While hot water will not damage the parts, cold water is better while running the disposal. Hot water will liquefy greases and fats. When they are in liquid form, grease adheres to the blades and will build up on them.

Avoid hard or fibrous foods. Disposals are for foods that grind into bits and pieces easily. Hard seeds, popcorn kernels, peach stones, apple seeds, or bones do not grind very well, if at all.

Do not put expandable foods into your garbage disposal. Foods like pasta and rice expand when you add water in a pot; they do the same thing once inside your pipes or garbage disposal and are the cause of many jams and clogs.

Do not grind large animal bones.

No coffee grinds. Avoid putting coffee grounds down the garbage disposal. They will not harm the garbage disposal and they'll help eliminate odors. However, they can accumulate in drains and pipes, causing clogs.

Cleaning Options:

Grind lemons or other citrus with ice. Never use hot water.

Put baking soda down the drain and pour vinegar on top of it.

Put a cup of rock salt down the drain and grind ice cubes.

After using your disposal, pour a small amount of dish soap down your drain with cold running water. This will help keep your disposal clean and combat bad smells.

Freeze vinegar in ice cube trays and run those down the disposal. This will keep the blades sharp while safely killing odor-causing bacteria.

Run the garbage disposal every few days, even if you don't have to grind any food.

Do not use bleach or commercial drain cleaner to unclog.

Maintenance Tips

You most likely have a RESET BUTTON -- If your disposal is acting up, check and see if the reset button at the bottom of the unit has tripped. If it is popped out, press it back down and trying running it again.

Periodically (every two weeks) clean the inside. It is best to avoid harsh chemicals since they can damage the parts of your device. Borax is a natural sink cleaner and sanitizer that effectively works on odor-causing mold and mildew that accumulates in garbage disposals.

Power down your garbage disposal when you need to repair it. Unplug the unit or cut power to the kitchen at the circuit breaker before taking any action to prevent the worst from happening while you work around the bladed appliance.

Do not put your hands in the disposal. Avoid injury from the blades by using pliers or tongs to remove scraps that have not been finely ground up. When wedged food is removed, the sudden release of tension can make the blades spring into action and cause injury. If all options fail seek the knowledge of an experience plumber.

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