Nothing says summer like the smell of burgers and hot dogs on the grill. Whether you’re entertaining a group of friends or cooking up Tuesday’s dinner, barbecues are a delicious way to take advantage of the beautiful Pleasanton weather. But if you’re not careful with your waste, you’ll soon find yourself dealing with another much less popular summer tradition: a clogged garbage disposal. Here are three tips to keep your garbage disposal in working order and keep your summers stress-free!
1) Dispose of Food Waste in Small Pieces
Large pieces of food waste should be cut into smaller chunks whenever possible and fed to the disposal a little at a time. Doing this will ensure that your garbage disposal doesn’t have to work so hard or risk getting jammed. You should also be running water as you dispose of the items to help flush down any stubborn pieces, ensuring that the disposal is thoroughly emptied of any gunk after use.
2) Avoid Putting Hard Waste Into Your Disposal
While the garbage disposal may seem like a powerful tool, it too has its limits. Meat can be delicious when eaten off the bones, but those bones should be kept out of your disposal. Items like bones and large pits are too hard for the blades to handle. Tough, fibrous fruits and vegetables will also damage the blades over time, so it’s best to avoid those as well. Once the blades are worn down, the disposal system can no longer work effectively, leading to clogs.
3) Never Pour In Cooking Oil or Grease
This final tip may seem strange after the other two. After all, cooking oil and grease are liquid substances, and won’t damage the blades the way that large chunks of food or hard pieces would. However, these items don’t actually stay in liquid form. Once poured down the disposal, they have a tendency to congeal into thick, solid layers, becoming tough clogs that gum up your entire system.
If you’ve already started to notice some problems with your garbage disposal that could point towards the presence of a clog, such as foul, unwelcome odors, or a significant delay in drainage, then it’s time to call in a professional. Contact Rivers Plumbing, Heating & Air at 925-846-6000, and take back control of your kitchen today!