A garbage disposal is great to have in the kitchen, but it will frequently jam or break down unless it is used and cared for properly. You can avoid expensive garbage disposal repairs by following a few simple guidelines. If you take good care of your garbage disposal, it should give you years of trouble free service.
One of the biggest mistakes people make with garbage disposals is not grinding long enough and turning off the water too soon. Both of these practices result in food particles remaining in the disposal that will soon decompose and cause unpleasant odors.
Always run plenty of cold water when grinding and let the grinder run until grinding is complete. Turn off the garbage disposal off first and let the water run for an additional 15 seconds to thoroughly flush away the food particles. Avoid disposing of grease and oil down the drain and use cold water rather than hot water. Hot water liquefies fats and oils and allows them to adhere to the walls of the grinder and drain pipes. Cold water encourages fats and oils to coagulate so they can be flushed away.
Run some soapy water through the disposal daily and grind up a few ice cubes once or twice a week to help break up accumulations of food particles inside the disposal. Grinding a lemon or orange once a week will also help keep the disposal clean and fresh smelling.
Never grind anything that is not a biodegradable food substance. Garbage disposals are designed to grind food only and cigarette butts, bottle caps, and other materials can cause serious damage to your garbage disposal. Never put your hand into a garbage disposal to clean it or to retrieve an item unless the power is turned off at the circuit breaker.
