We treat our garbage disposals like magical black holes. We assume that if we shove it down and flip the switch, the blades will chop it into oblivion. But ask any plumber, and they will tell you that the garbage disposal is the most abused appliance in the kitchen.
Most disposals aren’t actually “blades”; they are blunt impellers that grind food against a ring. They can’t handle everything. Treating your sink like a trash can is a guaranteed recipe for a clog, a stench, or a $300 plumber visit. Here are the six things you must stop putting down the drain immediately.
1. Coffee Grounds
This is the number one offender. Coffee grounds look small and harmless, so we rinse them down without thinking. However, once they get wet, they turn into a dense, heavy sludge.
They don’t break down; they pile up. Over time, they settle in the trap of your pipes like sediment in a river, creating a thick block that eventually stops water from draining. Always toss them in the trash or the compost bin.
2. Eggshells
There is a myth that eggshells sharpen the blades. This is completely false. While the shell itself grinds up easily, the thin, white membrane inside the shell is the enemy.
That membrane is sticky and tough. It can wrap around the impeller base, or worse, stick to the sides of your pipes and act as a net, catching other debris until a massive clog forms.
3. Grease, Oil, and Fat
Pouring hot grease down the drain feels easy because it is liquid. But the moment it hits the cold pipes, it solidifies into a waxy block of lard. This is how “fatbergs” form in city sewers.
Even small amounts of oil from salad dressing or bacon grease coat the blades and pipes, making them sticky. Wipe your pans with a paper towel before rinsing them to save your plumbing.
4. Pasta and Rice
Starchy foods are dangerous because they expand. Pasta and rice continue to absorb water long after they are cooked. A small amount of rice can swell into a gelatinous paste inside your pipes.
Furthermore, the starchy goo acts like glue, binding other food particles together. If you have leftover spaghetti, scrape it into the trash. Your disposal cannot handle the expansion.
5. Fibrous Vegetables (Celery and Corn Husks)
Vegetables that are stringy are kryptonite for disposals. Celery, asparagus, corn husks, and onion skins consist of tough fibers that don’t grind well.
Instead of breaking apart, these strings tangle around the disposal’s motor shaft. It is the same effect as hair getting caught in a vacuum cleaner brush. Eventually, it burns out the motor completely.
6. Bones and Fruit Pits
This seems obvious, but people still do it. Your disposal is not a wood chipper. Hard items like chicken bones, peach pits, or avocado seeds will bounce around, damaging the impellers and the grinding ring.
Even if a powerful disposal *can* break a small bone, the shards can get stuck in the drain line further down. Keep the hard stuff out.
The Rule of Thumb
The garbage disposal is for small, soft food scraps left on the plate after scraping. It is not for bulk waste. If you are ever in doubt, throw it out. A trash bag is much cheaper than a plumber.
Are you guilty of pouring coffee grounds down the sink? Confess your plumbing sins in the comments below!
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The post Plumbers Say: Never Put These 6 Things Down Your Garbage Disposal appeared first on Budget and the Bees.
