For most people, the garbage disposal is one of the most overlooked appliances
in their home. We all use it when we need it, but garbage disposal maintenance
is rarely at the front of our minds. In this blog, our experienced Waterbury
plumbers discuss how to keep your garbage disposal clean, functional,
and ready to take on the challenges of the holiday season!
For all of your Waterbury plumbing needs, call Cyrious Plumbing, LLC at
(203) 577-5628.
How To Clean Your Garbage Disposal
One of the best ways to avoid serious garbage disposal repairs or replacement
is to simply regularly clean and maintain your system. It’s not
hard – in fact, regular cleaning takes as little as a few seconds!
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Keep it clean! Pour a little dish soap into your garbage disposal with cold water and
run it for a minute every now and then.
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Use it often. A stagnant garbage disposal can corrode and rust over time. Regularly
running your disposal will help you keep things running smoothly.
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Use cold water! When running your disposal, use cold water to help oil and grease solidify.
This will allow the disposal to break fats up before they reach the trap.
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Ice is OK! In fact, ice can act as an abrasive to scour the inside of the garbage
disposal. Just make sure you remove your silverware!
How To Avoid Overloading Your Garbage Disposal
In the plumbing community, the holiday season is notorious for the increased
amount of clogged and overloaded garbage disposals. It’s easy to
see why, as many people entertain and cook large quantities of food. However,
it’s important to be cautious, as a clogged garbage disposal can
turn a holiday party into a nightmare of a mess.
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Avoid fibrous foods! Things like corn husks, potato peels, and even lettuce can quickly jam
up a garbage disposal.
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Keep the fat away. Cooking oils, grease, and other fats may be liquid when you pour them down
a drain, but solidify later down the line. Some fat is unavoidable, but
limit how much goes down your drain!
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No starchy foods. The starch in pasta, rice, and potatoes can stick to the blades and components
of your disposal, limiting its performance. Anyone who’s ever scrubbed
dried pasta off of a strainer knows how sticky it can be!
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Take baby steps! Many foods are fine to put down the garbage disposal, but large quantities
of even the most disposable foods can overload your machine. Take it slow,
and you’ll be good to go!
Issues with your garbage disposal? Call our Waterbury plumbers today at
(203) 577-5628.