If your Los Banos rental home has a garbage disposal, you already know that it is one of the hardest-working appliances in the kitchen. But don’t expect garbage disposal to be able to handle all types of “garbage.” Even if most garbage disposals handle a lot of food scraps with ease, there are a lot of food scraps that you should never put in a garbage disposal. Doing something unnecessary can damage the disposal’s motor, blades, and more. To prevent expensive repairs and keep your garbage disposal working great, keep these items out of your kitchen sink.
- Coffee grounds. It may look like those coffee grounds would just slip right down your kitchen pipes, but in fact, they can build up in your pipes and create a nasty sludge. Trying to grind them up with the disposal won’t do your disposal blades any good, either.
- Eggshells. Not everybody agrees that eggshells should stay out of your garbage disposal; however, they will cause several problems. The shell’s thin membrane can get stuck around your disposal’s blades and cause the entire thing to collapse. So it’s better to just toss your eggshells in the trash.
- Fruit seeds and pits. Small, hard objects should never be put down your garbage disposal. Fruit seeds and pits are obviously in this category. If you can’t cut the seeds or pit with a knife, your garbage disposal won’t be able to grind it up, also.
- Popcorn kernels. Just like fruit seeds, popcorn kernels are too hard for your disposal blades to grind. Those tiny solid kernels will get stuck in your disposal’s machinery and cause the whole thing to seize up. It can be a real disaster also to get them back out.
- Bones and seafood shells. Very small bones and seafood shells can slip through the disposal without any trouble, but bigger ones will make a mess of your plumbing and your disposal unit, as well. Most bones are too hard and dense for the disposal to break down. They will clog your pipes.
- Potato peels. It is appealing to simply wash your potato peels down the drain and let your disposal try to chew them up. But what you don’t know is that potato peels are full of starch, which will cause them to clump together in a thick paste that can clog your pipes. The same holds true for rice.
- Fibrous vegetables. Any type of vegetable that is stringy should be kept away from your garbage disposal. Celery, pumpkin, lettuce, artichokes, and asparagus can all get wrapped around your disposal’s blades. This may lead to expensive plumbing repairs.
- Nuts. In some ways, your garbage disposal blades are a lot like a blender. Everything you put down there will get ground up. When you grind nuts, the end product is nut butter, which is sticky and not at all good for your disposal or your pipes. It can stick to the walls of your pipes and the inside of your disposal, creating clogs and many various problems.
Beyond these eight things, a good rule of thumb for keeping your garbage disposal working properly is if you wouldn’t dump it down the drain, don’t put it in the disposal. You should be aware of what you shouldn’t put in garbage disposal so that you can avoid unnecessary maintenance calls and repairs. Your landlord will love you for it!
In case you’re looking for a rental home or need assistance managing your Los Banos rental property, don’t hesitate to contact Real Property Management Valley Wide at 209-722-7761 to talk with a certified Los Banos property manager today!
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