Have you gotten into the habit of throwing food waste down your kitchen disposal?

(High 5 Plumbing) - Have you gotten into the habit of throwing food waste down your kitchen disposal? Maybe you have even questioned yourself at times, asking “is this something I can throw down my sink?” If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are surely on your way to creating a plumbing disaster in your kitchen. While it’s okay to dump certain food items like meat scraps, citrus rinds, and bread crumbs down the disposal, there are some items that need to steer clear of the kitchen sink. Read on to find out what these items are and how to dispose of them properly.

Bones

It’s time to say goodbye to the habit of throwing bones down the sink. Even if they are the smaller ones, just don’t do it. Once put down in the sink, they keep spinning in and around the blades. And even if they end up in getting down the drain itself, they would never reach the drain pipes.

Coffee Grounds

The coffee grounds might seem small and go down easily, but they end up blocking the pipes when put down the drain. Even though they appear to go down the sink easily, they will eventually pile to form a sludgy mess in your drainage system.

Fruit Pits

Fruit pits are another thing that cannot be thrown down the kitchen disposal. Seeds and pits of fruits like peaches, apricots, and avocados are very hard and are not easily broken down. Worst case scenario, they can block your home’s entire drainage system.

Egg Shells

While some people say that the eggshells are perfectly fine to put down the disposal, they simply are not. Putting egg shells down the disposal will create “sand-like particles” and stick to the pipe walls, slowing the drain and eventually causing a clog.

Pasta and Rice

These food items expand in size whenever they come into contact with water. This can continue to happen even after you cook them. Therefore, never dump them down the drain as they may clog the pipes and can fill the disposal traps completely.

Vegetable Peels

Vegetables and their peels like potatoes and beans can create a soupy mess in your disposal. Over time they will prevent the movement of other waste items down your drainage system. It is best to throw these types of waste items into your garbage can.

Stringy Foods

Stringy, fibrous food items like celery, asparagus or carrot peels, should not be put down your disposal. These items wrap around the disposal unit and block the entire drainage system.

If you have a clogged drain or have caused damage to your kitchen sink, the professionals at High 5 Plumbing can come to your home and service your disposal. To know more about what you should or shouldn’t throw down your kitchen disposal, contact . We’ll help you navigate your kitchen sink and get on the right track to properly maintaining this important household appliance.