Most of us consider garbage disposal as some kind of black magic blender that lives under a sink. Push anything in it, and automatically chew it into small pieces which are then washed in your pipe.
While it's true to some extent, garbage disposal also has many moving parts. And while they have difficult names that will match the WWE, destroyer rings, we talk about you, they are all kinds, good, smooth. Push items to your garbage dump that shouldn't be there, and that can blunt the blades, clog the steering wheel, block drainage ... You get an idea.
Many of these scenarios can cause expensive repairs or replacements, and heaps of wet and thick goo in the gutter.
To process your D waste properly, read the list of items that you may not enter into.
1. Non-food items
Let's start with what is clear: "A garbage dumper should destroy leftovers, not man-made materials," said Doyle James, president of Rooter Plumbing, a Neighboring company.
Some items that he knows people have tried (and failed) to throw away from their InSinkErator? Cigarette butts, glass, plastic, paper. Even the metal.
If you want to experiment, maybe get a Ninja blender.
2. Chicken wings, fish, or other types of bone.
But even some foods cannot be wasted. Take, for example, chicken wings. Yes, they are very good food for parties, but they are not good for garbage disposal.
It seems obvious no-no, but "some people think that certain bones, such as fish bones or small chickens, will clean the walls of garbage disposal when they will be destroyed," James said.
Maybe it's a very strange trick so it can work, right? But that's not the problem.
"Most of the bones will only rotate in the unit until they slide past the blades and block their drainage," James said.
3. Vegetable skin
Healthy for humans does not necessarily translate into "healthy" for garbage disposal. Husks from fibrous vegetables such as carrots, celery and asparagus are definitely no-no.
"The pieces of rope can wrap around the blade and jam, causing your sink to recede," warned Audrey Monell, president of Forrest Anderson Plumbing and AC in Phoenix.
Throw them away or, better yet, make them.
Observe: amazing things that you can put in a dishwasher and what can't
4. ground coffee
"The coffee field is small, which means there isn't much you can do to reduce its size," James said.
So, what's wrong with letting them fall into your drain? When you do that, they usually fall under the crushers of the unit and form mud that can clog your waterways from time to time, James said.
Instead, apply coffee grounds on the floor around your outdoor plants. Its acidity makes it an excellent material for fertilizer.
5. Oil or fat for cooking.
Although it's very easy to pour bacon fat into the drain and speed up the cleaning, be careful: this will cause great chaos, and the whole world will have to deal with it later.
"Fats, oils, and other fatty substances often spread films over the waste blades, which would make it less effective at reducing food waste," James said. "As time goes by, the fat and fat you put into your landfill will be damaged, cause an unpleasant odor and clog your drainage."
In addition, you contribute to the "fatberg", the mass of frozen oil, fat and debris that appears in sewer systems throughout the world. If left unchecked, these disturbing mounds of debris sometimes erupt from the toilet and sink into the form of "Ghostbusters."
Help save the world from thinning and putting oil or fat into a can, leaving it in the refrigerator to cool and then throw away.
6. Pasta and rice.
This is the one that will turn your head. What about soft stuff like pasta and rice? Now, think of what happens when you cook these dried grains in water: they expand.
"These foods can continue to grow in their waste disposal every time they come into contact with water," James said. "If this happens, they can clog the gutter or block the trap from disposal."
The correct way to handle your garbage disposal.
Remember also: your garbage disposal does not clean itself. Even though you should not need regular maintenance from a plumber, there are a number of things you can do to make your work well.
- Clean it up "Try to treat it every month with a mixture of vinegar and baking soda to eliminate the problem of buildup and bacteria," advises Don Glovan, a franchise consultant with Mr. Rooter Plumbing. then add the mixture you want (make sure it's turned off first). Leave until the foam stops, then rinse and squeeze with water.
- That degrease. Of course, now you know you don't have to apply oil, but maybe you didn't know it last night when you prepared BLT for dinner. To prevent grease and oil from clogging up your waste disposal hole, drop a few lemon, suggested Glovan. "They are natural fat cleaners."
- Watering it "Cold water is very important for safe operation of your garbage disposal," Glovan said. Use plenty Turn on the tap for a few seconds before and after removing solid food.
