Hey Washington: 5 Things You Should Never Feed Your Garbage Disposal

Here Are Five Things That I'm Surprised Don't Go Down The Garbage Disposal

We flooded our kitchen last year and my wife insisted that we get an electric garbage disposal when we did the rebuild.

Washington Homeowners: 5 Items You Shouldn't Put Down The Disposal

I know it's obvious that silverware can't go down the disposal but I have tried to send an entire meal down the disposal before to mixed results.

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As a Washington State homeowner, there are a few things you might not want to send down the disposal so I compiled a list of five things you might want to avoid sending down the garbage disposal:

1. Bones - We may be stating the obvious here, but bones are a big no-no when it comes to garbage disposals. Chicken bones, beef bones, fish bones - they're all a recipe for disaster. Not only can they dull your disposal blades, but they can also cause serious damage to the motor and other internal components.

2. Eggshells - You may think that eggshells are harmless, but they can actually cause quite a bit of damage to your garbage disposal. Eggshells are hard and can grind against the blades, causing them to break or dull over time. And while eggshells may help to clean the blades temporarily, they will eventually accumulate in the drain and cause a blockage.

3. Grease and Oils - While it may be tempting to pour that leftover grease down the drain, your garbage disposal won't thank you for it. Grease and oils can solidify and create a blockage in your pipes, leading to costly repairs down the line. Worst Of all, it can create a nasty smell that may put you and your family out for a while.

4. Coffee Grounds - Coffee grounds may seem innocuous since they're so small, but they can actually clump together and cause a clog in your pipes. Plus, they can create a sludgy mess in your disposal that's difficult to clean up.

5. Fruit pits - Fruit pits like avocados, cherries, peaches, and plum pits are about as hard as bones. They can easily dull the blades on the garbage disposal, and can also cause it to just plainly shut down altogether. Thus, you must never test the limits with these.

As you can see, these five things are surprising that they can't go down the garbage disposal but it's better to know now than a costly repair later.