Don’t toss these foods into the sink to keep your garbage disposal running smoothly.
But noteverythingcan go into the disposal without a hitch.
Some everyday items can clog it, leading to costlyplumbing repairs.
Photo:Drew Hadley/Getty Images
Avoid throwing foods from this list into your disposal to keep your kitchen running smoothly.
Oatmeal
One surprising food you shouldnt put down the garbage disposal is oatmeal.
store your sink and put oatmeal in your compost or trash instead of down the garbage disposal.
The problem is when oatmeal hardens, it gets very hard.
Any oatmeal left over in your garbage disposal will harden and damage your disposal blades over time.
Eggshells
Another common food people throw into their garbage disposals is eggshells.
This leads to blockages and even reduces the efficiency of the garbage disposal.
The membrane of eggshells wrap around the impellers, causing significant clogs.
Add your eggshells to the compost or garbage and spare your disposal.
The truth is that any bone size can damage your garbage disposal.
Chuck bones into the trash instead.
Instead, the coffee grounds clump together and make a thick paste, Cherniak says.
This paste gets stuck inside the pipes.
It is responsible for clogging and slow drainage.
Coffee grounds are perfect for composting, however, as they add nitrogen to soil.
There is a lot of starch in potato peels, Cherniak says.
The starch then turns into a thick, sticky paste which blocks the disposal and chokes your pipes.
Put your fruit pits in the compost or trash to keep your garbage disposal humming.
A solidified sticky coating is formed when you pour grease or oil down the disposal, Cherniak says.
This results in blockages and foul odors by trapping all the other debris.
Dispose of oiland cooking grease in the trash to preserve the health of your garbage disposal.
Pasta and Rice
Also, keep pasta and rice out of your garbage disposal.
It results in blockages and improper drainage.
you’re free to compost pasta or rice with some precautionary measures or throw them in the trash.
