What Shouldn’t Go Down the Garbage Disposal?

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Your garbage disposal is a handy appliance when it's working but a pain in your side when it's stuck.

Your garbage disposal is a handy appliance when it's working but a pain in your side when it's stuck. Do you know what foods can be the kisses of death to your disposal? If you've already given your disposal its last meal, let Angie's List hook you up with a highly rated plumber in your area who can help restore its original glory.

May 2, 2012

By Angie's List Staff

Comments

PCL 7 years ago

Subject: I've never had much trouble

I've never had much trouble with the disposals themselves (I usually get about 8 years out of a moderately priced one), but the pipes beyond the disposal love to clog if I put anything more than plate scrapings down the drain. I actually put gorilla glue on the cutting blades to slow down the disposal and allow the waste to be ground up more finely; that has helped some, but the copper waste pipe running under the sink is nearly horizontal and can accumulate a lot of muck as it clogs. It's just easier to put peels, shells and bones in the trash.

Eleanor Rohl 7 years ago

Subject: Never put potato peels in

Never put potato peels in garbage disposal, it will clog almost immediately. Use Dawn dishwashing detergent every 2-4 days, flush with hot water, will clear grease out of disposal.

Robert Anderson 7 years ago

Subject: Green recycling!

We have green recycling. It takes meat and bones too. My disposer is almost never used.

HELENA MARIE 8 years ago

Subject: GARBAGE DISPOSAL PROBLEMS

AM SICK OF REPLACING MY GARBAGE DISPOSAL YEAR AFTER YEAR WILL DEFINITELY TRY THIS CLUES

roger mcannally 7 years ago

Subject: garbage disposal

put Clorox in at least every two weeks,one gallon wont hurt it.

grant wolcott 8 years ago

Subject: garbage disposal health

run ice in disposal to clean blades
citris peals (limon,lime,orange)help keep it fresh
and of course vinager and bakeing soda

carrot peals clog the drain
and run cold water to cool moter

Eleanor Rohl 7 years ago

Subject: Garbage Disposal Health

We are cautious of what goes in garbage disposal. NEVER PUT Potato peels through garbage disposal, They will immediately clog your drain. (found this out the hard way. Sunk in after 2nd clog. I do put "Dawn" dishwashing detergent in garbage about every 2-3 days, run the unit with hot water running, and it keeps it working well as well as smelling. After I turn the unit off, I continue to flush pipes with hot water, helps clear any grease.

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