How to Care for the Garbage Disposal and Prevent Clogs
A garbage disposal can be a major time-saver in the kitchen, but poor habits can quickly lead to jams, bad smells, and even a clogged sewer line. With a few simple practices, a disposal can stay efficient, odor-free, and less likely to need emergency service. This post outlines how to care for a garbage disposal and prevent clogs, including what should and should not go into the unit, why cold water and ice help maintain a clean garbage disposal, and how to avoid overloading the system.
Be Careful What Goes Down the Disposal
The first rule for preventing a clogged garbage disposal is choosing what to grind carefully. Certain materials can damage internal components or create stubborn clogs in plumbing. Grease, fats, and cooking oils should never go into the garbage disposal. These substances cool and solidify in pipes, coating the walls and trapping other debris, which can eventually contribute to a clogged sewer line.
Eggshells, potato peels, onion skins, and fibrous vegetables can wrap around the grinding components and reduce performance. Foods that absorb and retain water, like rice, pasta, bread, and oats, tend to swell inside drains and can worsen blockages. Coffee grounds form dense, sludgy deposits that cling to pipe walls. Hard items such as bones, fruit pits, shells, and non-food materials should also be kept out of the unit.
What can go into a garbage disposal? Small amounts of soft food scraps, cut into manageable pieces, typically pose fewer problems. Scraping most food waste into the trash or compost first and then rinsing residual bits through the disposal helps protect both the appliance and the drain system from overload and reduces the risk of a sewer line clog.
Use Cold Water and Ice
Water flow is just as important as food choice for keeping a disposal in good shape. Running cold water while the garbage disposal is operating, and for several seconds after it switches off, helps flush ground particles through the drain and into the sewer system. Cold water also keeps any residual grease in a more solid state so the grinding action can break it into tiny pieces rather than allowing it to melt and cling to pipes.
Periodic cleaning with ice cubes can further support a clean garbage disposal. Feeding a small handful of ice cubes into the unit and running it briefly can help dislodge stuck-on residue from the grinding chamber. The ice chips act like tiny scrubbing tools, knocking food particles away from surfaces. Some households also add small pieces of citrus peel with the ice for a fresher smell, as long as quantities remain modest.
If the disposal becomes jammed, common symptoms include a garbage disposal humming without actually grinding or failing to turn on until the garbage disposal reset button is pressed. While occasional resets may be normal, frequent jams, persistent humming, or recurring clogs often suggest that professional garbage disposal repair or even garbage disposal replacement should be considered.
Avoid Putting Too Much Down the Disposal at Once
Even when only suitable materials are going into the garbage disposal, quantity and pacing matter. Overloading the chamber with large volumes of food waste all at once can overwhelm the motor and cause jams. In severe cases, this can push unground material farther down the line, contributing to a clogged sewer line or sewer line clog that affects multiple fixtures.
To prevent this, larger food scraps should be broken into smaller pieces before reaching the sink. These pieces can then be fed gradually into the running disposal with a steady stream of cold water. Allowing the unit to clear one batch before adding more reduces strain on the motor and helps ground particles thoroughly.
Paying attention to unusual noises, slower drainage, or repeated stoppages can also prevent a minor problem from turning into a major clogged garbage disposal. Early intervention—whether by adjusting habits or arranging timely garbage disposal repair—helps protect both the appliance and the home’s plumbing system.
About Lodder Brothers Limited
Lodder Brothers Limited provides top-rated, comprehensive plumbing solutions with speed and accuracy in Kitchener and the neighboring areas. Call them today for upfront pricing on reliable garbage disposal services in Kitchener, ON.
