8 Things You Can’t Put in the Disposal

If, in any case, your Searcy rental home has a garbage disposal, you will come to realize that it is one of the hardest-working appliances in the kitchen. However, that doesn’t really mean that it certainly can handle all types of “garbage.” Conceding that most garbage disposals handle a lot of food scraps with ease, there are lots of things that you must never put in a garbage disposal. Doing so could surely damage the disposal’s motor, blades, and more. To sidestep or avoid expensive repairs and keep your garbage disposal working great, keep these items out of your kitchen sink.

1. Coffee grounds. It may certainly look like those coffee grounds would just slip right down your kitchen pipes, but as a matter of fact, they can build up in your pipes and create a nasty sludge. Even trying to grind them up with the disposal won’t do your disposal blades any good, either.
2.  Eggshells. Not all people agree that eggshells should stay out of your garbage disposal, but they could most certainly create real concerns. The shell’s thin membrane can get stuck around your disposal’s blades and result in the whole thing being damaged. It’s a much better idea to merely toss your eggshells in the trash.
3. Fruit seeds and pits. Small, hard objects should never be put down your garbage disposal. Fruit seed and pits are certainly of this kind. If in case you can’t cut the seeds or pit with a knife, your garbage disposal won’t be able to grind it up, either.
4. Popcorn kernels. Same as with fruit seeds, popcorn kernels are too hard for your disposal blades to grind. Those kernels will get stuck in your disposal’s machinery and provoke the whole thing to seize up. Plus, getting them back out would be a true nightmare.
5. Bones and seafood shells. Very small bones and seafood shells would just slip through the disposal without any complications, but obviously, bigger ones would make a mess of your plumbing and your disposal unit, on top of everything else. Most bones are too hard and dense for the disposal to break down. They will clog your pipes.
6. Potato peels. It is very easy and really inviting to simply wash your potato peels down the drain and let your disposal try to chew them up. However, potato peels are full of starch, which will cause them to clump together in a thick paste that could most definitely clog your pipes. The same holds true for rice.
7. Fibrous vegetables. Any type of vegetable that is stringy should be kept far away from your garbage disposal. Celery, pumpkin, lettuce, artichokes, and asparagus can all get wrapped around your disposal’s blades. This certainly can lead to expensive plumbing repairs.
8. Nuts. In many ways, your garbage disposal blades are a lot like a blender. Anything you put 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 can, for sure, stick to the walls of your pipes and the inside of your disposal, creating clogs and other kinds of problems and nuisances.

Aside from these eight items, the right rule of thumb for maintaining and keeping your garbage disposal working properly is if you wouldn’t dump it down the drain, don’t put it in the disposal. By realizing what you shouldn’t put in a garbage disposal, you certainly could avoid unnecessary maintenance calls and repairs. Your landlord will love you for it!

If, in any case, you’re seriously on the lookout for a rental home or just need guidance managing your Searcy rental property, feel free to contact Real Property Management Delta at 501-404-0674 to converse with a capable Searcy property manager today!