8 Things You Can’t Put in the Disposal

When your Columbia rental home has a garbage disposal, you will realize that it is one of the hardest-working appliances in the kitchen. Even though it works well, it doesn’t mean that it can handle all types of “garbage.” While most garbage disposals handle a lot of food scraps with ease, there are still certain items you should never put in a garbage disposal. Doing that would damage the disposal’s motor, blades, and more. To stop expensive repairs and keep your garbage disposal working great, keep these items out of your kitchen sink.

1. Coffee grounds. It may seem like those coffee grounds would just slip right down your kitchen pipes, but in fact, they can build up in your pipes and create a nasty sludge. Attempting to grind them up with the disposal won’t do your disposal blades any good, at all.
2. Eggshells. Not everybody agrees that eggshells should stay out of your garbage disposal, but they can trigger some complications. The shell’s thin membrane can get stuck around your disposal’s blades and it allows the whole device to breakdown. So it is easy and safer to toss your eggshells in the trash
3. Fruit seeds and pits. Small, hard objects should never be put down your garbage disposal. Fruit seeds and pits are one of those in this category. Whether you can’t cut the seeds or pit with a knife, your garbage disposal won’t be able to grind it up, as well.
4. Popcorn kernels. Same as fruit seeds, popcorn kernels are too hard for your disposal blades to grind. Some small kernels will get stuck in your disposal’s machinery and trigger the entire thing to seize up. Getting them back out can also be a big issue.
5. Bones and seafood shells. Very small bones and seafood shells might slip through the disposal without any worries, but the larger ones will make a mess of your plumbing and your disposal unit, also. Most bones are too hard and dense for the disposal to break down. They will clog your pipes.
6. Potato peels. It is appealing to simply wash your potato peels down the drain and let your disposal try to chew them up. But potato peels are full of starch, which will cause them to clump together in a thick paste that can clog your pipes. The same holds true for rice.
7. Fibrous vegetables. Any type of vegetable that is stringy should be taken away from your garbage disposal. Celery, pumpkin, lettuce, artichokes, and asparagus can all get wrapped around your disposal’s blades. This could lead to expensive plumbing repairs.
8. Nuts. In certain cases, your garbage disposal blades are a lot like a blender. Everything you throw down there will get ground up. When you grind nuts, the end product is nut butter, which is sticky and not at all good for your disposal or your pipes. It will stick to the walls of your pipes and the inside of your disposal, creating clogs and some other problems.

Aside from these eight things, a general rule for keeping your garbage disposal working properly is if you wouldn’t dump it down the drain, don’t put it in the disposal. If you know what you shouldn’t put in a garbage disposal, you can easily avoid unnecessary maintenance calls and repairs. Your landlord will love you for it!

If you’re currently looking for a rental home or need assistance to manage your Columbia rental property, contact Real Property Management Prime at 410-415-1736 to talk with an expert Columbia property manager right away!