03/03/2024
Here at Bailey Home Services, we want to help you keep your home in tip top shape.
With a little routine maintenance and care, your garbage disposal will serve you for years. Follow these garbage disposal maintenance tips to help keep your kitchen appliance running strong.
1. Perform Routine Maintenance
Regular garbage disposal maintenance includes periodically sharpening the blades, and descaling and cleaning the unit.
You can clean and sharpen the blades by dropping a few ice cubes down the drain, grinding them, and flushing the disposal with cold water. This can also help remove buildup. To further clean and descale the unit, pour a cup of vinegar in, let it sit for an hour or so, and then flush it with hot water. Avoid using harsh chemicals to clean the disposal as they may damage key components. You only need to perform this procedure about once a year.
If odors are coming out of your garbage disposal, try grinding up some lemon wedges.
2. Use Plenty of Cold Water
Your garbage disposal maintenance should include running cold water through it during operation. Turn on the water before starting your disposal and keep the water running several seconds after you turn off the disposal.
3. Don’t Overfill the Disposal
Your garbage disposal is only so powerful so be careful not to overexert it. Putting too much in the garbage disposal at one time can potentially jam up the disposal and cause a lot of stress on the blades and motor.
4. Run Your Garbage Disposal Regularly
This might seem like an unusual garbage disposal maintenance tip but remember to use it regularly. Don’t let waste build up in the garbage disposal leading to unpleasant odors.
5. Flush Your Garbage Disposal
One common practice for garbage disposal maintenance is flushing the disposal. Cover the drain with a stopper and fill the sink with cold water. Once filled, pull the stopper out and let the water drain down.
6. Safely Fix Jams and Clogs
It is never safe to put your hands in the disposal! If something gets stuck in the blades, turn the disposal off and use the supplied manufacturer's tool or a long wooden spoon handle for removal. You may have to push a reset button.
7. Use Your Disposal Selectively
Potato peels and fibrous foods like celery, onions, eggshells, corn husks, banana peels, and asparagus can clog your drain and disposal, so it's best to put them in the trash or compost.
Bones can damage the blades. Fine bones—like fish bones—can be put in the disposal, but larger bones should be put in the trash bin.
Hard seeds should be cut up into small pieces rather than ground up. These ground-up pieces could get wedged into various parts of the garbage disposal and cause jams.
Do not put coffee grounds into the disposal. These can collect in the pipe and cause a clog.
Avoid pouring cooking oil or fats down your drain. Grease can solidify and clog your pipes.
Again, always run cold water before, during, and after activating the disposal. The flow of water helps flush food particles down the drain.
If Your Garbage Disposal Stops Working
As with all systems or appliances, if your disposal stops working and a jam or clog isn't the culprit, check for the reset button. You can also check your home for blown fuses, tripped circuit breakers, and power outages. If you still can’t pinpoint the problem, it may be time to call in Bailey Home Services to diagnose and get you back up and running!
