To prevent any major plumbing issues in your kitchen, we recommend you follow these tips and avoid putting certain things down the garbage disposal. This will save you money and unnecessary headaches!
Fibrous foods: Fibrous foods include foods like celery, corn husks, carrots, onion skins, potato peels, asparagus, artichokes and more. These foods wrap around the blades, damaging the motor, so do not put them down your sink!
Starchy foods: Can you remember the last time you overcooked the pasta, rice, potatoes or beans? It turns into a pasty substance which has the potential of clogging the kitchen drain if you attempt to dispose of them there. Throw them in the trash instead to avoid a big mess!
Grease and oil: The extra grease from cooking foods like turkey gravy, bacon and ground beef don't belong down the garbage disposal. It may look like a liquid when it's still hot, but as soon as it cools down it turns into a jelly like substance that can be serious bad news for your plumbing system.
Egg shells: There's a longstanding rumor that egg shells are good for disposals because they sharpen the blades. This is only a myth! The membrane layers of egg shells can wrap around the ring, potentially damaging the disposal, not to mention the sand-like consistency of egg shells can cause pipes to clog or even dull your blades.
Hard materials: Some things are just too hard for the disposal blades to handle, including chicken bones and fruit pits.
Non-food items: Never put anything you wouldn't eat down the drain. This includes twist ties, rubber bands, string, cigarette butts, bottle caps and plant clippings. These items don't break down in the disposal, allowing them to clog the sink.
Here is a DIY tip: To keep your drain fresh, run a handful of ice cubes and a few strips of lemon, lime or orange peel through the disposal. The ice helps freeze and remove items stuck to the blades and the citrus leaves a fresh scent behind.