Foods You Can and Can’t Put Down the Garbage Disposal
Are you asking, “What can I put in my garbage disposal?” While you may believe garbage disposals can handle any type of food, it is the total opposite. Obviously, metal, glass, and plastic cannot be put in your garbage disposal. Additionally, there are certain types of foods that cannot be thrown into your disposal as well. Continue reading to learn about the foods that you should and shouldn’t put down a disposal.
Foods That You Can Put Down a Garbage Disposal
From peach pits to corn on the cob, you may be wondering what else is okay to throw in your garbage disposal. The obvious is certainly okay. But did you know that small bones can also be thrown in the disposal? Garbage disposals include blades that can grind bones into small pieces. This means rib bones and small chicken bones can safely make it through your garbage disposal, especially if yours has high horsepower.
Here is a list of the “obvious” foods that you can safely throw into your garbage disposal:
- Fruit pits
- Fruit scraps
- Vegetable scraps
- Corn cobs
- Cooked meat
- Small bones
- Leftovers
- Ice
Foods That You Can’t Put Down a Garbage Disposal
Now let’s move on to the foods you can’t put down the disposal. As mentioned above, garbage disposals can handle pretty much any type of food. But, plumbing may be a separate issue to deal with. For example, grease and garbage disposals do not mix. Avoid throwing any type of oil, grease, or fats into a garbage disposal. Grease is not okay for any drain, for that matter.
While grease and oil may be in a liquid state, they will solidify and clog your drain and water system.
Additionally, peanut butter, heavy cream, butter, and ice cream should not go into a garbage disposal. Many times it may be impossible for small amounts of oil to mix in with your veggies when you throw them in the disposal. While this is okay, you should always ensure that you are flushing it down with cold water.
Starchy foods such as large amounts of pasta, rice, and potatoes can also clog your drain and should be left out of your disposal. These foods can easily clog your drain once they turn into mush.
Corn husks, artichokes, celery, asparagus, and edamame pods can also cause issues with any garbage disposal if they are thrown into them unless you have a premium disposal. If this is the case, you may throw small amounts of fibrous foods into your disposal.
Finally, shellfish, coffee grounds, and eggshells do not belong in the garbage disposal. These, like many of the above-mentioned foods, are capable of clogging your drain.
And, to summarize, the following foods should never be thrown in a garbage disposal:
- Oil
- Large quantities of vegetable peels
- Eggshells
- Artichokes
- Non-food items
- Clam or oyster shells
- Grease
- Corn husks
Categorised in: Garbage Disposal
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