Tips for Garbage Disposal Maintance

Hearing rattling in your garbage disposal? Or just generally concerned on how to maintain this particular appliance in your home to avoid repairs or replacement? Here are a few tips to keep your garbage disposal running smoothly.

• Always use cold water. While using the disposal, make sure you use cold water. Let the water run for 15 seconds after grinding to flush all the food out. Warm or hot water can cause any fat to congeal and stick to the interior and blades.
• Keep your disposal clean. This is a fairly simple way to keep your disposal running smoothly. Once you are done using the disposal, pour some dish soap with cold water into the disposal. This will also help with bad odors that can come out of the drain. You can also try grinding a small amount of citrus fruit peels in the disposal for a fresher scent.
• Be careful about what goes into the disposal. Avoid grease, fat, and any non-compostable items going down the drain. Only small food bits should go into the disposal to keep it running properly. Make sure you clean your plates, by tossing larger items and animal bones into the garbage before placing them into the sink. 
• Keep clear of clogs.  Use a disposal cleaner or de-greaser to keep fat from building up and causing a clog. Snake the drain every few years to keep the sink draining properly. If you are having trouble with a clog, don’t use drain cleaners in your disposal. The chemicals can damage a disposal. Give a plumber a call to help clear any clogs. 
• Grind ice cubes. Put a few ice cubes into the disposal every once in a while to help sharpen the blades, and can help clear up stuck-on bits in the disposal. 

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If you have any questions or need help with your disposal, give Tony’s Plumbing a call and we can get your garbage disposal moving. 

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