Keep These 5 Items Out of Your Garbage Disposal

By Court Lundberg

Your garbage disposal is a convenient kitchen appliance that simplifies cleanup after every meal. However, it’s important to remember that this appliance can’t handle every type of food. Keep your garbage disposal in top condition by avoiding putting these five items in it.

On this page

• 1. Hard-to-Grind Items
• 2. Eggshells
• 3. Coffee Grounds
• 4. Fat, Oil, or Grease
• 5. Water-Absorbent Foods
• Book Rare Breed Plumbing for Garbage Disposal Repair in Utah

1. Hard-to-Grind Items

Your garbage disposal blades can handle plenty of foods, but hard-to-grind foods need to go in the trash can instead. Bones and fruit pits, for example, are too tough for the disposal’s blades. So, when you place these hard items in the disposal, they will wear the blades down and potentially reduce the life of your disposal.

2. Eggshells

Eggshells aren’t as tough as bones or fruit pits, but they shouldn’t be placed in the disposal, either. Although the disposal’s blades can break them up, too many eggshells can eventually clog your drain and lead to plumbing problems.

3. Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds are another clog-causing item in garbage disposals. When you’re cleaning out your coffee maker, throw those wet coffee grounds into the trash, not down the drain. They’re sticky and hard to break up and, as a result, they can block your pipes.

4. Fat, Oil, or Grease

Fat, oil, and grease might go down the drain as liquids, but they’ll eventually solidify somewhere in your pipes. As a result, it’s essential to keep these items out of your disposal. So, next time you make bacon, dispose of any grease in the trash can instead.

5. Water-Absorbent Foods

Some foods, such as pasta and rice, absorb water when they cook. When you put these water-absorbing foods down your drain, they tend to absorb even more water, which can result in buildup and eventual clogs in your pipes.

Book Rare Breed Plumbing for Garbage Disposal Repair in Utah

Extend your garbage disposal’s life by using it smartly. When you keep these common clog-causing items out of the drain, your disposal will keep running without a problem.

If a disposal problem does strike, we handle garbage disposal repair and installation, along with drains and water heaters, across Northern Utah.

Book a 3-hour appointment window and we will get your disposal grinding again.

Related Reading

• Garbage Disposal Repair
• Garbage Disposal Dos and Don’ts
• Drain Cleaning: What Works vs What Doesn’t
• Kitchen Plumbing Remodel