Things You Should Not Put In A Garburator

For the majority of homeowners, garbage disposals are a bit of an enigma. A common misconception that people have about garburators is that anything is safe to put down the sink, but in reality, this is not the case.

You can’t just put anything in your garbage disposal as it will harm the garburator and, in the worst cases, can even clog it.

Hence, before hiring a certified residential plumber to install your garburator, you first need to understand what not to put in your garburator in order to save your time and money.

Also Read: Get Your Plumbing Problems Fixed In Calgary With Jack’d Up Plumbing.

Because if you wash down everything in your garburator, it will clog the drains, and we all know how frustrating it is to have a broken and smelly garbage disposal.

If you don’t know what things you can wash down your drain, don’t worry; we are here to help. Keep on reading, to learn what things you should not wash down your garburator.

Things That Can & Can’t Go Down A Garburator

A garburator is installed under the sink, and uses a series of blades to mince large food particles into smaller pieces so that they can easily be flushed down the drain.

Garburators are an environmentally friendly option that makes kitchen clean-up a lot easier and more convenient.

However, there are some limitations on what can go in a garburator, as there are some things you can and can’t put in it. For instance, objects that are tough and sticky can’t be washed down a garburator as they will stop the disposal blades from spinning and clog the garburator.

Food Items That Can’t Go Down A Garbage Disposal

Here are some things you can’t wash down your garburators:

Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds are one of the biggest no-no’s when it comes to a garburator or any other drainage system.

Because when these coffee grounds go down the drain, they form a dense and thick paste that sticks around the blades and slows down the draining process.

If too many coffee grounds are washed down the drain, they can even create a clog and break down the garburator. Hence, it is best to dispose of them in your compost bin or use them in your garden.

Eggshells

Another thing that you can’t wash down your garburator is eggshells. There is a common misconception that eggshells can be used to sharpen the blades.

While there is no major negative or positive impact of the shells on the garbage disposals’ blades, the membrane on the inside of the eggshells is harmful to the garburator.

This thin coating can wrap itself around the blades of the garburator and create a stick blockage inside your plumbing system.

Dry Expandable Foods

Foods that expand in water like oats, rice, and pasta continue to expand in the plumbing system, and eventually clog the garburator.

Thus, make sure that you don’t let in dry, expandable food into your garburators because these expandable food items will break down your garbage disposal.

Food Items That Can Go Down A Garbage Disposal

Here are some food items that can be washed down a garburator:

Citrus Fruits

You can put citrus fruits like oranges and lemons down the garburator, as these fruits can serve two purposes:

• On the one hand, the acid inside the citrus fruits can help to break down the gunk that builds up inside the garburator.
• On the other hand, citrus fruits can efficiently minimize the foul odours and replace them with a fresh fragrance.

So you should, after some time, cut citrus fruits and run them down your garburator with cold water.

Ice Cubes

Ice cubes can be used to clean and sharpen your garburators’ blades. Accordingly, you should toss a few ice cubes down the drain every other week to make sure no dust and debris are building up on your garburators’ blades.

Also, keep in mind that if your garburator has impellers instead of blades, then don’t use ice cubes because then it will harm the garbage disposal.

About Jack’d Up Plumbing

At Jack’d Up Plumbing, we provide plumbing services to our clients in Calgary & the surrounding area. We specialize in drain cleaning and other plumbing-related services such as water and gas leak repair, bathroom and kitchen plumbing repairs and installations, water heater and furnace repair/installs, and more. Contact us for further information and support.