Your garbage disposal is one of those components of the kitchen that you probably use a lot, but don’t really think about much in terms of proper care and maintenance. But garbage disposal maintenance is actually pretty important, as you might have realized if it has ever experienced a malfunction or needed repairs.

But there is no need for costly repairs or replacements if you follow a few simple garbage disposal maintenance tips.

Avoid Putting Certain Foods and Materials in the Garbage Disposal

The first thing to be aware of is that, while your garbage disposal is a pretty powerful machine, some things just shouldn’t be run through it. This includes food items such as potato peelings, coffee grinds, eggshells, or banana peels. Each of these items will produce waste that when ground up could actually hinder the mechanisms of the garbage disposal or clog it.

Treat Your Garbage Disposal to Keep It Fresh

Do you ever have odors coming from your garbage disposal? One of the best garbage disposal maintenance tips you can practice that gets rid of odors and also helps sharpen the blades is to let a combination of baking soda and vinegar sit in the disposal for a short while before running hot water through it. Alternatively, you can use lemon juice, lemon peels, or orange peels.

When you do run the garbage disposal, throw some ice cubes into it. The abrasiveness of the ground cubes will help keep the blades in good shape.

Note: Be sure to never use bleach in your garbage disposal, as it will affect your drain lines and your septic tank. Drain cleaner in your garbage disposal is also not recommended.

Avoid Clogs

Use lots of water when running your garbage disposal to avoid clogs. Keep water running through the disposal for about 30 seconds even after getting rid of food waste.

Note: If your garbage disposal is clogged, don’t use hot water to flush it. The hot water will melt fats and possibly make the clog worse.

Use the Garbage Disposal Often

Run the garbage disposal once every few days with cold water. This keeps the blades from rusting.

For more information about garbage disposal maintenance or to schedule a repair of your garbage disposal, contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Port St. Lucie today. Our expert technicians will discover the problem and rectify it to keep your garbage disposal working in optimal condition.