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Over the years, I've gotten a lot of conflicting advice about operating my garbage disposal. One repairman told me to grind glass in the disposal occasionally to keep the blades sharp. A neighbor said to run hot water when operating the disposal to melt the grease. A friend suggested pouring baking soda into the disposal to cover nasty smells.
Be careful whom you take advice from. If I had listened to the folks above, I might have gained even more disposal problems than I've had. And I've had plenty.
Here are some tips (from manufacturers!) on how to keep your garbage disposal operating properly and smelling nice, too:
- Don't let food build up in your disposal. Run it every time you put something in it. Food buildup may not only cause jams but bad smells, too. Also, acids from foods can cause corrosion.
- Use cold water when operating the disposal. It turns out that you want the oils and fats in your disposal to congeal so that you can chop them up and flush them out.
- Keep the water running at least 30 seconds after the grinding stops to make sure all the byproducts are washed away.
- If the garbage disposal jams, turn it off immediately. Turn off water and use tongs to dislodge any food or objects that may be stuck in the disposal. Wait a few minutes and then hit the reset button. Some disposals may automatically reset. If yours doesn't have a reset button, wait about five minutes for the automatic reset, then try it again. Still jammed? Many disposals have a little L-shaped tool that fits into the center of the hole in the disposal. Work it back and forth a few times. Push the reset button; then try the disposal again. (Make sure your disposal is turned off before sticking anything into it. You might even want to turn it off at the fuse box. I do.)
What Not to Put in Your Disposal
- Anything that's not food. Especially, metal, plastic, strings or rubber bands.
- No large bones. Small bones are OK.
- Nothing stringy. I don't put in artichokes, banana peels or cornhusks. I do grind celery and asparagus, but only a little at a time. Meat (especially raw meat) can also get stringy and wrap around the mechanism.
- No grease or oil.
- No flour.
Deodorizing Tips
Everyone has her favorite methods of deodorizing the disposal. Many people simply grind leftover lemons and limes for a fresh citrusy smell. Others grind lemons with ice cubes. Still others freeze white vinegar in ice cubes and grind those up. I would not recommend the baking soda method. (I learned the hard way that floury materials tend to clog up somewhere farther down the septic line).
And Finally…
- Never, ever put your hand anywhere near the disposal when it's running.
- Never use a chemical drain cleaner in a disposal.
- Try marking your disposal button with a red dot so you (or guests) don't turn it on by mistake.
