Having a disposal unit at your home makes the process of getting rid of recycling garbage much easier. Since these are modern machines and are equipped with the most advanced technology, using them is extremely convenient. The problem arises when you start thinking of your disposal unit as your garbage can. This results in several issues including plumbing-related problems. When I bought a garbage disposal unit, the technician who was sent by the company to install the machine briefed me about how I should be using the machine and the things that I should not put inside it. So, what are the things that should not be put in a disposal?
Generally, you must not put in food items that are very hard and are difficult to be broken into smaller pieces. This could prove to be extremely harmful to the garbage disposal unit. Some of the food items that shouldn’t be put are:
– egg shells
– bigger animal bones
– onion layers
– potato peels
– nutsseeds
– fruits and vegetables high on fiber
List of food items that should not be put in a disposal unit
There is a long list of food items that should not be put in a garbage disposal unit. There are some commonly used or consumed food items that you must make a note of and ensure that you never put them down in a garbage disposal unit. Some of these items are listed below. (Recommended article: “What Food Can Go In Garbage Disposal“)
Rice
Rice and other food items that are made of rice or wheat absorb water and tend to expand significantly. Therefore, when you put rice down a disposal unit in a large amount, it is bound to create a jam.
Bigger animal bones
Most animal bones are hard and some of them are quite large. The right place to dispose these is a garbage can and not a disposal unit.
Shells
Shells of any kind, especially seafood shells, are very hard. Therefore, they prove to be detrimental to the garbage disposal unit.
Seeds
Seeds that you come across in fruits and vegetables are quite hard and being round-shaped and small, the garbage disposal unit would find it very difficult to shred them into smaller pieces.
Onion layers
The outermost layer of onions shouldn’t be put in a garbage disposal unit. The membrane that is present just under the dry skin is very thin and it could either get wrapped around the blades or miss them completely.
Potato peels
When you put potato peels down a garbage disposal unit, two things can happen. The peels will either slip through the garbage disposal unit or turn into a paste after being grounded by the machine.
Nuts
Though nuts break down easily, they are still quite hard and hence, not suitable to be put down in a garbage disposal unit which could make a starchy paste out of them.
Fibrous vegetables and fruits
A large number of vegetables and fruits comprise fibrous filaments that can easily get wrapped around the grinder of the garbage disposal unit and create an issue.
Coffee grounds
From my experience, coffee grounds are one thing you should never put down in a modern garbage disposal unit. Together, they can form a thick mass that will end up clogging up your sink and create difficulties in draining out. Putting down other food waste like rice and pasta, which don’t break down easily and get bloated up when they are wet, will create the same problem. I had a similar experience when I put down eggshells, oatmeal, nuts and potato peels through it in the past.
How often should you run your garbage disposal?
It is recommended to run your garbage disposal regularly to ensure that it remains in good condition. Even when you don’t feel the need to use it or do not have any food material to grind, you can simply switch on the faucet and let the water flow through it for some time. By doing this, you will ensure that the parts of the machine get enough movement and do not suffer from the risk of becoming immobile. (Recommended article: “The Best Garbage Disposals on the Market In 2021“)
Related Questions
Can you put fruit in garbage disposal?
You can not put fruit in garbage disposal, but you can surely put fruit scraps in garbage disposal. Scraps of different types of fruits like apples, grapes, bananas, berries and oranges can be put through the garbage disposal system as they can be easily shredded into smaller pieces. They also play an important role in freshening up the drain.
Can banana peels go in garbage disposal?
While some of the premium-quality or heavy-duty garbage disposal units might accommodate or process banana peels, it would not be advisable to put them through these machines. Banana peels happen to be unchewable or fibrous and therefore, there is a high chance of them getting stuck in the disposal unit. The fiber content in them makes it very difficult for the disposal unit to break them down into smaller or finer pieces. There is also a chance of the fiber strands getting entangled around the blades in the device.
Can you put apple cores in a garbage disposal?
Apple cores don’t taste great in your mouth and are bad for your garbage disposal unit too. For those not familiar with the term, apple cores refer to the central portion of the fruit that contains the seeds. Since this portion is a little hard and also contains seeds, it can get stuck in the disposal unit and create blockage there.
Can carrot peels go in garbage disposal?
No, carrot peels cannot go in garbage disposals. Even when you peel a carrot properly, the material or the peels that you get are still too hard to be processed through a garbage disposal machine. It would be wise to accumulate all the peels in one place and throw them in a trash can. A lot of people contemplate putting carrot peels in the garbage disposal hoping that putting them through the machine will help in recycling them. Putting these kinds of food material through the disposal unit is not advisable as they could get stuck and end up damaging the machine.
Can you put potato peels in a garbage disposal?
It is not recommended to put potato peels in a garbage disposal. When you put potato peels down a garbage disposal unit, there are two possibilities. If the peels are very thin, they will go through the disposal unit and reach the drain. The second possibility is that the disposal unit will mash them up thoroughly and turn them into a mold of paste. Once the paste goes through the drainage pipes, it will create a blockage.
Can you put egg shells in a garbage disposal?
No, you should not put eggshells in a garbage disposal unit. There is a false belief about how eggshells play an important role in making the blades of the garbage disposal unit sharper. The fact is that garbage disposal units do not consist of blades. Instead of blades, they feature impellers that are quite blunt. Eggshells feature membranes that get entangled around the grinder easily. In the long run, it can end up damaging your device.
Can you put animal bones in a garbage disposal?
A garbage disposal unit is not designed to deal with hard items like animal bones. Every time you consume meat, you are left with the bones of the animal you just cooked and ate. You might feel tempted to throw the bones away in the disposal unit but you must remember that the right place to dispose the animal bones is the garbage can.
Is it OK to put tea bags down the garbage disposal?
Putting tea bags down the garbage disposal is a sure-shot method of clogging it. Teabags are fairly heavy and cannot be shredded into multiple pieces. Putting them through the garbage disposal doesn’t make any sense. Trash bins are where they should be disposed.
Do potato peels clog garbage disposals?
Though potato peels are not very sturdy, they contain starch in large quantities. This starch can form a thick mass or a lumpy paste that would end up creating a clog in your garbage disposal system. If you put the peels through the garbage disposal, they might get stuck in the drain trap or the pipes and result in it getting clogged.
Can rice go down the garbage disposal?
In an absent-minded state, I put rice in the garbage disposal and that resulted in a massive problem. What happened was the garbage disposal system mashed up the rice and turned it into a thick paste that clogged the drain and stopped the machine from functioning. A lot of people think that since rice is quite soft, it would be easy to wash it down the garbage disposal but that’s not true.
Can you put onions in a garbage disposal?
It is fine to put the papery and thin outer skin of the onion in the garbage disposal. However, there is a layer right under the outer skin that is thin enough to go through the disposal system. It can get chock up in the drain and trap the other waste material that follows it. This can result in a clog that would be difficult to remove.
Can I put watermelon rinds in a garbage disposal?
No, watermelon rinds will prove to be too hard for a garbage disposal setup. They are categorized as hard food debris and hence should be kept far away from the garbage disposal. They will end up jamming the blades on the machine and eventually damaging them.
Is it OK to put meat in the garbage disposal?
As someone who has committed this mistake in the past, let me tell you that putting meat in the garbage disposal would be a terrible idea. The only time it is okay is when the leftover pieces have been shredded and are small enough. If you have large chunks of leftover meat, it would not be advisable to put them in the garbage disposal. One thing you must remember is not to put any meat bones in the disposal unit. They are big and hard and should be put in the trash bin.
Can you put coffee grounds in a garbage disposal?
No, you shouldn’t be putting down coffee grounds in a garbage disposal. Coffee grounds tend to deceive you easily. When you look at the small-sized or grounded elements of coffee, you would feel that they would go down the drain easily. However, the fact is that they will pile up together and cause a clog in your drain.
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