While you should NEVER overload your disposal with egg shells, coffee grounds, or dump grease down it, did you know that by filling it with ice and rock salt then turning it on will clean rust off and sharpen the blades! Here are some other do’s and don’ts for proper care of your home garbage disposal.
DON’T use bleach or commercial drain cleaner to unclog your disposal. The next time you use your disposal you could have leftover bleach fling up and get in your eyes.
DON’T pour hot water into a clogged unit. The heat will melt fats and make unclogging the garbage disposal even more difficult to achieve.
DON’T use your fingers to pull out any clogs. Avoid injuring yourself on the sharp blades by using pliers or tongs to remove any scraps that may not have been finely ground up.
DO ward off odors with warm water and lemons. While running your disposer put sliced lemon wedges and run warm NOT HOT water. The wedges are high in citric acid, which boasts anti-bacterial properties and their peels will scrub all the way down.
DO try untangling any fibers wrapped around your garbage disposal’s blade using the wrench that came with your appliance. With your tool, you just turn the nut at the base of the disposer, then press the small red “reset” button in the center, and flip the switch to restart.
DO run the garbage disposal every few days. Even if you don’t have any food scraps to grind up, you should run the disposal with cold water to keep the blades from rusting due to lack of use.
