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8 Things You Can’t Put in the Disposal

If ever your Nelson County rental home has a garbage disposal, you must have figured out that it is among the hardest-working appliances in the kitchen. Still, that doesn’t exactly mean that it can handle all types of “garbage.” Despite the fact that most garbage disposals handle a lot of food scraps with ease, there are quite a lot of items that you should never put in a garbage disposal. Doing so could certainly damage the disposal’s motor, blades, and more. To fend off expensive repairs and keep your garbage disposal working great, keep these items out of your kitchen sink.

  1. Coffee grounds. It would seem like those coffee grounds would just slip right down your kitchen pipes, though in fact, they could really build up in your pipes and create a nasty sludge. Attempting to grind them up with the disposal won’t do your disposal blades any good, either.
  2.  Eggshells. Not everyone approves that eggshells should stay out of your garbage disposal, despite that, they could surely provoke actual issues. The shell’s thin membrane can get stuck around your disposal’s blades and make the whole thing fall apart. It’s correct to just effortlessly toss your eggshells in the trash instead.
  3. Fruit seeds and pits. Small, hard objects should never be put down your garbage disposal. Fruit seed and pits are, precisely, of this kind. If you can’t cut the seeds or pit with a knife, your garbage disposal won’t be able to grind it up either.
  4. Popcorn kernels. Similar to fruit seeds, popcorn kernels are too hard for your disposal blades to grind. Those kernels will get stuck in your disposal’s machinery and could actually cause the whole thing to seize up. Taking them back out can also be a nightmare.
  5. Bones and seafood shells. Very small bones and seafood shells can just slip through the disposal without any problem at all, but those bigger ones can 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.
  6. Potato peels. It is really a great temptation to simply wash your potato peels down the drain and let your disposal try to chew them up. Still, potato peels are full of starch, which will cause them to clump together in a thick paste that could understandably clog your pipes. The same holds true for rice.
  7. Fibrous vegetables. Any type of vegetable that is stringy should only be placed away from your garbage disposal. Celery, pumpkin, lettuce, artichokes, and asparagus can all get wrapped around your disposal’s blades. This could only lead to expensive plumbing repairs.
  8. Nuts. In several ways, your garbage disposal blades are a lot like a blender. All and anything 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 could actually stick to the walls of your pipes and the inside of your disposal, creating clogs and other types of problems.

Like these eight items, a fine guiding principle for safeguarding and keeping your garbage disposal working properly is if you wouldn’t dump it down the drain, don’t put it in the disposal. By appreciating what you shouldn’t put in a garbage disposal, you probably avoid unnecessary maintenance calls and repairs. Your landlord will love you for it!

If you’re, at this point in time, looking for a rental home or need assistance in managing your Nelson County rental property, don’t hesitate to contact Real Property Management Cairn at 434-215-3028 to converse with a professional Nelson County property manager today!

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