Be Kind to the Garbage Disposal in Your Gainesville, Florida Apartment

With their sharp blades and powerful motors, garbage disposals seem like they can grind up anything, but in reality, they can’t. Just like any piece of equipment, garbage disposals have their limits. And, once you exceed these limits, there’s a good chance that your garbage disposal will quit for good.

To keep the garbage disposal in your Gainesville, Florida apartment going strong, we recommend the following disposal care tips:

1. Do not treat your garbage disposal like a trash can. Garbage disposals are designed to grind up small, soft bits of leftovers. Never try to put bones, plastic, metal, or any other hard objects into your disposal.
2. Rinse, rinse, rinse. It is very important to run cold water into the disposal before, during, and after you turn it on. Water helps lubricate the disposal and rinse particles down the drain. Anytime your disposal is on, your cold water should be on.
3. Do not let food or liquid sit inside the disposal. If you toss food, soup, cereal, milk, and other items into the disposal without running the water and turning the disposal on, the food will corrode the disposal and eventually ruin it.
4. Put food down the disposal slowly. If you try to stuff food down your disposal, it will break the unit.
5. Never put fat, grease, or oils into your disposal. Fat from meats, cooking oils, and other greasy items will clog your disposal and your pipes.

Another important trick to maintaining your garbage disposal is cleaning it regularly. This can be accomplished by squeezing a few drops of dish soap down your disposal, running the cold water, and turning the disposal on for a few seconds. Also try grinding ice cubes and citrus peels in the disposal to keep it smelling fresh.