Installation & Replacements
Garbage disposals are very common in households. Garbage disposals are a good way to keep food scraps out of landfills, thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Garbage disposals do, however, require maintenance and proper usage.
Use & Maintenance
- Operate only with cold water.
- Run water while in use and do not turn off until a minute after the sound of churning food stops. This allows for the drain to be rinsed completely.
- Run regularly to prevent rust or corrosion.
- Do not put large amounts of food down the drain at one time.
Cleaning
Odors can creep up on you so it’s a good idea to do a regular cleaning. This also maintains the disposal system and can clean and sharpen the blades. Some good ways to clean your garbage disposal are:
- Grind ice cubes with salt and (optionally) white vinegar.
- Grind citrus peels such as oranges, grapefruit, and limes.
- Put ½ cup of baking soda with 1 cup white vinegar, let sit and fizz for 5 to 10 minutes then rinse with very hot water (only for this cleaning you should be using hot water), do this while the disposal is running.
If your disposal stops working remember NEVER PUT YOUR HAND DOWN THE DRAIN!!
Turn disposal off. Make sure system is plugged in. Try the reset button
If all the above fails to restart your disposal than call Sailfish Plumbing, we will come out and troubleshoot the problem. One of our experienced plumbers can replace your disposal system.
What Not to Put Down a Garbage Disposal
- Celery
- Asparagus
- Lettuce
- Corn Husks
- Onion Skins – These can all wrap around blades and prevent motor from operating properly.
- Potato peels, pastas and rice can become very sticky making it hard to go down the drain.
- Butter
- Margarine
- Cooking Oils
- Shortening
They all solidify and can clog drains. Coffee grinds can also get stuck in the trap.
