Don’t Forget Garbage Disposal Maintenance – Tips for Keeping Your Garbage Disposal from Biting The Dust
Garbage disposal maintenance is an essential component of keeping your kitchen running. This little machine is responsible for breaking down food scraps and preventing longer-term garbage smells in your kitchen. However, if not maintained, your garbage disposal can break down and cause more issues than it solves. To prevent this from happening, follow these simple tips from Conyers Plumbing, a local Plumbing Company serving the Hillsborough County, FL area.
Section 1: What is a Garbage Disposal?
It’s essential to know what you’re maintaining before understanding how to maintain it properly. A garbage disposal is an electrically powered device that grinds up food scraps when you turn on the water and flip a switch or press a button. The disposal unit is generally located underneath the sink, between the sink’s drain and the plumbing.
Section 2: Clear the Disposal of Debris Before Use
Before running your garbage disposal, make sure no debris is inside. Ensure it’s clear of any utensils, food scraps, or debris. Pouring cold water into the disposal helps loosen anything caught inside. Only then can you run the disposal.
Section 3: Cut Food Scraps Into Small Pieces Before Disposal
Cut everything into small pieces before putting them in the sink’s drain that goes straight down to the disposal. Breaking up food pieces makes it easier for the disposal to grind them into small pieces that quickly drain away with the water.
Section 4: Run the Cold Water
As you run the garbage disposal, you should simultaneously run the cold water. Coldwater helps to prevent grease and oil from building up and sticking to the blades, thus hardening and making the blades less effective.
Section 5: Avoid Pouring Fatty and Oily Substances
Anything that is greasy, fatty, or oily should not be put into the disposal. When it comes in contact with the blades, it can harden and cause blockages. You should dispose of such substances in the trash.
Section 6: Use Ice Cubes to Sharpen the Blades
Running ice cubes through your disposal can help sharpen the blades by chipping away little pieces and polishing the surface. It ensures maximum sharpness, which makes grinding up food waste much more efficient.
Section 7: Clean Your Garbage Disposal Regularly
To prevent terrible smells and bacteria growth, clean your garbage disposal at least once a week. Use a combination of baking soda and vinegar, which is a cheap and effective way of cleaning. Afterward, rinse with cold water.
Section 8: Only Use Garbage Disposal for Food Scraps
Lastly, do not put anything other than food waste down the garbage disposal. Items like utensils, paper napkins, and cigarette butts could cause damages and create blockages.
Section 9: Schedule Maintenance on a Routine Basis
Even with regular maintenance, the garbage disposal can break down after a while. To avoid that, seek help from a local plumbing company like Conyers Plumbing. They provide scheduled maintenance plans to keep your disposal in good working order.
Conclusion for Garbage Disposal Maintenance and You
By following these simple tips and making scheduled maintenance your habit, you can keep your garbage disposal running efficiently without any additional cost. At Conyers Plumbing, we are here to help you in all your plumbing needs. Give us a call today to schedule a maintenance appointment or ask for plumbing solutions.
