What Foods Are Safe (And Not Safe) For Your Garburator?

Garburators are a handy addition to many homes, making kitchen cleanup faster and reducing household waste. They’re built to grind soft food particles into small bits that can easily pass through your plumbing.

But despite their convenience, they are not designed to handle all types of food scraps. Misusing a garburator—even with good intentions—can cause clogs, motor strain, and long-term plumbing damage.

While some items break down with ease, others can gum up the system or get stuck in your drainpipes. That’s why knowing what your garburator can and cannot handle is crucial.

In this blog, we’ll cover the safest food types to put in your garburator, which ones to avoid, and how to use this appliance effectively without putting your plumbing at risk with the help of expert plumbers in Calgary.

How A Garburator Works

Before getting into the dos and don’ts, it helps to understand how a garburator functions. Installed beneath your kitchen sink, the garburator connects to your drain and features a grinding chamber with impellers that shred food waste into fine particles. These particles are then flushed away with water through your drainage system.

However, many people assume that a garburator is just a kitchen trash can with a motor, which couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s specifically engineered for soft, biodegradable food scraps and must be used with care. Ignoring the appliance’s limitations can quickly lead to malfunctions or costly plumbing repairs.

What You Can Safely Put Down A Garburator

Used properly, a garburator is a great tool for disposing of small amounts of soft food waste. Here are the most common items that are safe for disposal:

Soft Fruits And Vegetables

Small scraps of fruit and vegetables—such as cucumber peels, apple cores (without seeds), or soft berries—break down easily. These are ideal for garburator use, especially in moderation.

Cooked Grains And Soft Leftovers

Leftover rice, pasta, and cooked veggies are okay in small amounts. Be cautious though—grains can absorb water and expand, which could cause blockages if dumped in bulk.

Citrus Peels

Orange, lemon, and lime rinds are safe in limited quantities. They can even help freshen up the unit naturally. Just be sure to break them into smaller pieces first.

Small Bits Of Cooked Meat

Tiny remnants of cooked meat—like chicken or beef scraps—can go down the drain. That said, avoid anything fatty, greasy, or containing bones.

Important Tip: Always run cold water before, during, and after operating the garburator. This helps flush particles down the drain and keeps oils solidified so they don’t clog your pipes.

Foods You Should Never Put In Your Garburator

Despite their durability, garburators are sensitive to certain types of waste that can damage internal parts or lead to serious clogs. Here’s what you should always keep out of your unit:

Grease, Fat, And Cooking Oil

Once poured down the drain, fats solidify and cling to the walls of your pipes. Over time, this leads to buildup that causes serious blockages. Even if you flush with hot water, grease will eventually cool and harden.

Eggshells

While they may seem harmless, the thin membrane inside eggshells can wrap around the impellers and dull the blades. The shells can also combine with other debris to form clumps that block the pipes.

Coffee Grounds

These may seem like fine particles, but once wet, coffee grounds turn into a thick paste. This sludge settles in the pipes and traps other waste, leading to slow drains or full-on clogs.

Fibrous Vegetables

Items like celery, asparagus, corn husks, and artichokes contain stringy fibres that wrap around the grinding mechanism and cause jams. They’re better off in the compost bin.

Pasta, Rice, And Starchy Foods

These expand when exposed to water, forming a gluey mess that sticks to your pipes and narrows the water flow. If you’ve ever tried cleaning dried pasta off a plate, imagine that inside your plumbing.

Bones, Fruit Pits, And Seafood Shells

Garburators are not designed for hard objects. Trying to grind bones, peach pits, or shrimp shells can break or jam the blades and ruin the motor.

Smart Habits For Long-Term Garburator Use

Want to avoid plumbing repairs and get the most out of your garburator? Follow these simple best practices:

Run cold water consistently during and after use to flush everything through the system.
Break down large scraps into smaller pieces to avoid overloading.
Avoid dumping multiple food types all at once, especially if they contain oils or starches.
Clean your unit weekly by grinding a few ice cubes followed by citrus rinds to eliminate residue and odours.
Never use chemical drain cleaners—they can corrode internal parts and damage pipes. Use a baking soda and vinegar solution instead if needed.

More usage and maintenance advice can be found on The City of Calgary’s official waste disposal page.

When To Call For Help

Despite your best efforts, your garburator might still act up, especially if it’s aging or was improperly used in the past. Look out for these signs:

Persistent odours even after cleaning
Unusual noises like grinding or rattling
Water draining slower than usual
Leaks under the sink or around the base
A burning smell or the unit failing to turn on
Frequent jams preventing the garburator from working properly

If you’re noticing any of the above, it’s a good time to get your garburator replaced by a licensed plumber.

Keep Your Kitchen Running Smoothly

Garburators are great kitchen tools when used with care. Knowing what they can and can’t handle helps prevent backups, clogs, and appliance damage.

The next time you’re cleaning up after dinner, pause before tossing scraps into the sink. A few small changes in how you use your garburator can save you major plumbing headaches down the line.

About Us

At Jack’d Up Plumbing, we provide expert residential plumbing services across Calgary, including garburator installation, repair, and seasonal plumbing maintenance. Our focus is on delivering professional, efficient solutions tailored to your home, not sales pitches or gimmicks. We don’t offer free quotes, but we offer honest service that gets to the point and gets the job done right.