Knowing Your Garbage Disposal: What Goes Down & What Doesn’t?

Having a garbage disposal in your home can be an extremely convenient addition to your kitchen, but knowing the correct foods it can and can’t dispose of is essential to avoid costly repair expenses.

Here is a list of what foods you shouldn’t be putting down your garbage disposals.

Fat, Grease and Oils

These three things should never be put down the garbage disposal. Nor should they be put down any drainpipe. They can all build-up and harden inside the pipe, eventually clogging up the drain.

When this happens, you are going to have to phone a plumber and have them remove the clog.

Bones or Large Fruit Pits

Sometimes convenience isn’t always convenient, especially when you tend to throw items into your garbage disposal simply out of habit.

You need to be careful and make sure that the food items you know are bad for it, like bones and large fruit pits, don’t end up there simply because it feels easier or more convenient to do so.

We guarantee, the fix caused by the damage these items will cause won’t feel easy or convenient.

Onion Skins and Fibrous Fruits

These items will actually stick to the sides of the disposal and wrap around the shredder causing major damage. Anything with stringy fibres or skins won’t be cut and will clog up the shredder.

Coffee Grounds and Egg Shells

Coffee grounds will clog up your drain, like fats and oils they will eventually require a plumber to come and unclog the more incorrect foods you send down the disposal.

Egg shell membranes, like fibrous fruits will wrap around the shredder ring and stick to the sides of the disposal. They also don’t break down with the bacteria in the disposal, so egg shells are a big no.

If the worst does happen and your garbage disposal becomes clogged, damaged or in need of a repair, give M.J. Walker Plumbing a call.

Our expert Gold Coast plumbers have years of experience fixing and servicing drain blockages. We can restore your homes disposal back to working order in no time.