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8 Things You Can’t Put in the Disposal

Sink with a Garbage Disposal and a Wire Rack with a Scrub Brush Laying On ItIf it follows that your Mt. Vernon rental home has a garbage disposal, you know perfectly well that it is indeed one of the hardest-working appliances in the kitchen. But this doesn’t, in any way, mean that it could most definitely handle all types of “garbage.” While most garbage disposals handle a lot of food scraps with ease, there are plenty of items that you could never put in a garbage disposal. Otherwise, doing so may damage the disposal’s motor, blades, and more. To prevent expensive repairs and keep your garbage disposal working great, keep these items out of your kitchen sink.

  1. Coffee grounds. It would quite seem like those coffee grounds would just slip right down your kitchen pipes, but in actual fact, they could seriously build up in your pipes and create a nasty sludge. Even attempting to grind them up with the disposal won’t do your disposal blades any good, either.
  2.  Eggshells. Not every single person agrees on the fact that eggshells should stay out of your garbage disposal, then again they surely can result in creating real problems. The shell’s thin membrane can get stuck around your disposal’s blades and provoke the whole thing to breakdown. It’s better to entirely toss your eggshells in the trash instead.
  3. Fruit seeds and pits. Small, hard objects should never be put down your garbage disposal. Fruit seeds and pits are among this kind. When you can’t cut the seeds or pit with a knife, your garbage disposal won’t be able to grind it up, either.
  4. Popcorn kernels. In the same vein with fruit seeds, popcorn kernels are too hard for your disposal blades to grind. Those kernels will get stuck in your disposal’s machinery and make the whole thing seize up. In addition, retrieving them can be an undesirable nightmare.
  5. Bones and seafood shells. Very small bones and seafood shells will slip through the disposal without any bother at all, however, big ones might make a mess of your plumbing and your disposal unit, also. Most bones are too hard and dense for the disposal to break down. They will clog your pipes.
  6. Potato peels. It is irresistibly tempting to simply wash your potato peels down the drain and let your disposal try to chew them up. But, sadly, potato peels are full of starch, which will cause them to clump together in a thick paste that will probably clog your pipes. The same holds true for rice.
  7. Fibrous vegetables. Any type of vegetable that is stringy should always be kept away from your garbage disposal. Celery, pumpkin, lettuce, artichokes, and asparagus can all get wrapped around your disposal’s blades. If you’re not careful, this could most definitely cause expensive plumbing repairs.
  8. Nuts. In numerous ways, your garbage disposal blades are a lot like a blender. Anything at all you put down there will get ground up. When you grind nuts, the end product is nut butter, which is sticky and not at all good for your disposal or your pipes. It could stick to the walls of your pipes and the inside of your disposal, creating clogs and other forms of troubles.

Besides these eight items, a great key principle for retaining your garbage disposal working properly is if you wouldn’t dump it down the drain, don’t put it in the disposal. By understanding what you shouldn’t put in a garbage disposal, you could seriously avoid unnecessary maintenance calls and repairs. Your landlord will love you for it!

If it follows that you’re at this juncture, looking for a rental home or needing advice managing your Mt. Vernon rental property, contact Real Property Management Results at 812-461-1676 to consult with a professional Mt. Vernon property manager today!

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