6 Things you Should Never Put Down Your Garbage Disposal

I don’t know about you, but when I met my husband he put everything down his garbage disposal.

We went back and forth about this for years since I don’t want anything down the drain.

It was not until recently when we were having a discussion with a home inspector during a home sale that he finally listened.

Why does it take another “man” for men to listen?

Uhm, We will save that for another post.

Garage disposals are a staple in most American households and they are very useful.

However, they are still appliances and you want to keep them running smoothly and keep your drains clog free.

Here are some items you should NEVER Put down your garbage disposal:

Potato Skins/Peels

Potato peels are thin and can slip past the disposal, thereby catching in the drain.

Similar to egg membrane, they act like a tiny catcher’s mitt, holding up other waste and creating a clog.

Egg Shells

Stick to using these in your garden.

A thin membrane on the inside of the shell that can  get loose and lodge in the drain or around the impeller.

Onion Skins

There is a thin membrane that lies just below the dry, outer-most layer of an onion.

That thin, wet layer is typically removed before the onion is chopped, and thrown into the disposal.

This thin layer can pass through the disposal, missing the blades and wind up wedged in the drain.

Eventually, it ends up catching more items and holding them in place.

Coffee Grounds

There is this myth that they reduce odor in your drain.

What they do is reduce into a dense, thickly packed pasty wad.

You don’t want going in your drain lines!

This is another item you can use in your garden instead.

Pasta

Pasta expands when soaked in water.

It’s pretty obvious why you don’t want this in your disposal and drain where it will, after all, soak in water and keep expanding.

Garbage

We know it’s called a “garbage” disposal, but you shouldn’t put all your garbage in it.

Just ask any repair man or plumber about the number of times they have had to replace them!

Or, if you are a handy person, there are plenty of videos and tutorials on line on how to repair or replace one.

Remember, even if the backup doesn’t happen when you own your home, it will be an issue for the next buyer.

Tell us some unique things you have put down your disposal or any bad experiences you have experienced with your garbage disposal.

Leave your comments below.

Also, take a look at some of our other blog posts for other home tips and ideas.