Garbage disposals are a godsend when it comes to cleaning up after a meal. It’s as if there’s a mythical creature living underneath your sink with an endless appetite for food scraps. But be careful — despite their convenience and simplicity, garbage disposals are vulnerable to breaking down, and repairs can be difficult and costly.…
1. Animal Bones
Some of the most common culprits behind broken garbage disposals are animal bones, which are far too hard and dense for the machine to properly break down. This isn’t to say that all bones will necessarily destroy the mechanism. Small chicken wings or softer fish bones aren’t likely to cause too much damage if one accidentally slips in there. But larger bones like beef ribs can wreak havoc on the device.
2. Paint
You may think you can pour paint down the drain like any other liquid. But in reality, paint hardens over time, which can cake the disposal and prevent it from functioning properly. This is especially true with oil- and latex-based paints, which may stick to the disposal’s interior and become difficult to remove. There are also environmental concerns with putting paint into the garbage disposal, and it could contaminate the community’s water systems. Instead, dispose of leftover paint at a designated hazardous waste site in your town, or solidify leftover latex paint by mixing it with cat litter before throwing it away.
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3. Absorbent Grains
Bread, pasta, rice, and other porous grains easily absorb water and expand in size. This can lead to dense clogs within the disposal that prevent the impellers from spinning. While a few pieces of spaghetti or a single slice of bread probably won’t do significant damage, it’s best to avoid making a habit of putting grains in the garbage disposal. Just use the regular trash instead.
4. Coffee Grounds
After brewing a pot of coffee, the grounds turn into a gunky paste. When tossed into the garbage disposal, that goop can adhere to the appliance like glue, slowing it down or stopping it from working altogether. The more coffee grounds you dispose of, the larger the blockage will become, making it time-consuming and difficult to extricate the device.
5. Egg Shells
You may have heard the persistent — and let’s be clear, incorrect — rumor that egg shells can sharpen the blades of a garbage disposal. But there are two things wrong with that idea: First, garbage disposals don’t have blades; instead, they have blunt lugs or impellers. Second, eggshells contain a thin membrane that can wrap around the spinning mechanism, preventing it from working properly.
6. Fibrous Produce
Fibrous produce — think celery, banana peels, pumpkin, and corn husks — contains many long, spindly fibers that look and sometimes function like pieces of string. When tossed into the disposal, these fibrous strands can get tangled around the mechanism until the machine jams.
7. Grease
Grease may look like a liquid, but it congeals over time, causing serious blockages if poured down your kitchen plumbing. Instead, allow it to cool, soak it up with a paper towel, and throw it in the trash.
8. Shellfish
Much like land animal bones, hard pieces of shellfish can also do a number on your garbage disposal. Lobster, crab, oyster, and clam shells can damage the appliance in no time at all. Even softer shells such as shrimp tails can clog the device, causing a huge headache. So while the meat from these creatures is OK to put in the disposal, check to see if there are any remaining bits of shell before scraping your plate clean.
9. Onion Skin
While the inside of an onion is no problem for the garbage disposal, its thin exterior membrane is something to be wary of. Just beyond the dry outermost layer of an onion, you’ll find a thin and often slimy membrane. Much like the membrane from an eggshell, this can become entangled in the spinning mechanism, causing the device to jam.
10. Any Nonfood Item
Your garbage disposal is meant for organic food materials only, and it should never be used like a normal garbage can. This means no paper towels, no plastic wrap, no sponges, and no medications. Putting nonfood items down there is, quite simply, a clog waiting to happen. If you can’t eat it, you can’t put it down the garbage disposal — plain and simple.
Although garbage disposals are designed to make our lives easier and cut down on cleaning time, they should not be treated like bottomless pits. Take the time to separate problem foods to avoid a clog, or worse, a broken machine that needs to be replaced.
