Things like citrus fruits and ice cubes are fine to put down the garbage disposal and they'll actually help keep things running smoothly and smelling their best.
What should go in the garbage disposal? Soft or liquid foods, as well as residual food waste are usually safe to put into the garbage disposal. Residual food waste is whatever is left behind on a plate after clearing it off into the trash can.
There is one way you can lubricate a garbage disposal: water. It works as a lubricant for the blades in the system and prevents them from grinding when you start the system. Not flushing water through the drain while you're using it is a surefire way to cause damage to the equipment.
Potato peels and skins are notorious for causing clogs due to their starchy composition, which creates a thick paste when mixed with water. This thick paste sticks to the garbage disposal blades and pipes, clogging and potentially damaging your plumbing system.
Baking Soda and Vinegar:Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into the disposal, followed by 1 cup of white vinegar. Allow the mixture to fizz and sit for a few minutes to help eliminate odors. Citrus Freshener:Cut a lemon or citrus peel into small pieces. Run the disposal with the citrus pieces to add a fresh scent.
Borax - This is a powerful mineral that cleans and destroys odor. Use a half cup of borax in your garbage disposal once a week to keep it smelling fresh. Salt and Ice - When used together, salt and ice clean all the gunk out of the disposal that is responsible for the awful odors.
Myth: Lemons can clean your disposal
Lemon peels in your garbage disposal not only don't clean it, but they could also cause clogs and do damage to your drain. We recommend throwing lemon juice (no peels!) along with ice down your garbage disposal to help freshen it up.
Bananas can clog your pipes if they aren't broken down enough while passing through the disposal. If you opt to put banana peels in your disposal, don't put too much in at once, and be sure to remove any stickers the manufacture or grocery store may have applied.
PLEASE NOTE: Drano® Professional Strength Crystals Clog Remover is NOT safe for use in garbage disposals.
Also, keep cooking oils, butter, salad dressings and mayonnaise out of your garbage disposal.
Sprinkle 1/3 cup of baking soda into the disposal and activate the appliance for a second to help the baking soda disperse. Let the baking soda sit for 15 minutes so its deodorizing properties help combat smells. Pour one cup of vinegar into the disposal and allow the baking soda and vinegar to interact.
Now, if you're beyond this point and need a cure for your dull garbage disposal blades, there is a great do-it-yourself-trick you can follow. Start by dropping a handful of ice cubes along with one cup of rock salt down your garbage disposal.
Many plumbers say it's best to use cold water—not hot water—when running your disposal. If food particles do remain, they can rot and cause odours. Once a week, put a combination of ice cubes and lemon peel down your disposal, run for about 30 seconds and then turn on the cold water tap.
Never put pasta or rice down a disposal or drain. ever put turkey bones or chicken wings or any other bones down your garbage disposal. These hard items can break your disposal or clog up your plumbing. Never put celery, onion peels, lettuce, corn husks, asparagus, etc.
Myth: Ice Cubes Will Sharpen the Blades
Ice cubes can actually be good for your disposal as they knock off any left over food bits on the blades. If you want even better cleaning results try making ice cubes out of lemon juice or vinegar to put down the disposal (don't ingest them though!).
Steer clear of tossing a range of things into their garbage disposal, including fat, grease, oil, seafood shells, meat, bones, fruit pits, eggshells, cucumber peels and starchy foods like pasta, potatoes and oats. Starches, including rice, are a disposal no-no, it all comes down to clumping.
Liquid-Plumr ® has many drain cleaning products that are safe to use to unclog a garbage disposal. Our drain cleaners can help tackle your toughest garbage clogs and clean your disposal. To deep clean your disposal, use Liquid-Plumr ® Disposal & Drain Cleaner.
Citrus peels: Putting citrus peels down the garbage disposal is said to help clean the disposal and deodorize it. E.R. Plumbing Services says this is bad advice because lemon, lime, lime, orange and other citrus peels can get stuck in the disposal, creating a problem.
Fibrous foods: The stringy nature of fibrous foods can potentially damage garbage disposals. Because of this, you should throw away corn husks, carrot and potato peels, onion skins, celery and asparagus stalks, pumpkin innards, and artichoke leaves instead of rinsing them down the sink.
What NEVER to put in your garbage disposal: asparagus, artichoke leaves, banana skins, celery, chicken bones, coffee filters, cooked rice, egg shells, grease, green onion tops, onion skins, potato peels, shrimp shells, tea bags.
Potato peels should also not be put down the garbage disposal because they have a high starch content, which can collect in the disposal and drains, preventing other food from moving through the system. The starch in your peels also causes them to expand, further thickening a clog.
Egg Shells
The membrane lining the shell can wrap around the disposal blades, leading to clogs. Additionally, the shells can break into small pieces that are difficult to flush out. It's best to compost eggshells or dispose of them in the regular trash.
Yes, you can put orange peels down your garbage disposal. In fact, it's encouraged! As long as you cut them up into smaller parts, orange peels can help add a fresh citrus smell to your kitchen.
Coffee grounds won't hurt your disposal, per se. They'll actually go down easy and even smell good doing it. But once they get further, they can accumulate like they would in a coffee filter, creating an obstruction in the pipes. Coffee grounds are best disposed of in the compost pile or the trash.
Stringy foods—like celery, onion skins, banana peels, and corn husks—can ruin your garbage disposal. While a small section of a corn husk may not do harm, constantly throwing stringy food down increases the chances of something wrapping around the impeller.