5 Things You Should NEVER Throw Down The Garbage Disposal 

Kitchen sinks with garbage disposals are great. For a family of any size, garbage disposals make doing dishes a breeze. You don’t have to worry about clogging up the sink strainer with small bits or sauces. While a garbage disposal is a powerful tool for every kitchen, there are restrictions. Today, we’re going to show you five things you should never throw down the garbage disposal unless you want issues. 

1.) Celery

Celery is one of the most fibrous and stringy things you can throw in the disposal. When you put celery in the garbage disposal, it can cause a clog in your drain pipes. Even worse, the fibers wrap around the blades and can seize up the disposal motor and burn it out. 

2.) Coffee Grounds

There are tons of people who boast coffee grounds as a natural deodorizer, but there are risks. While the coffee grounds are great at absorbing smells and neutralizing them, you should think before tossing them in the sink. 

Next time you brew a pot or cup of coffee, take a spoonful of coffee and look at the consistency. It holds its form and is like a sludge when mixed with water. The grounds won’t damage the garbage disposal, but they can cause a clog farther down the drain. The sludge can form a dam of sorts and hold debris, waste, and water. Use them in the garden, instead. 

3.) Pasta

There’s a reason you mix so much water with pasta. It needs room to expand because pasta absorbs water like a sponge. That’s why you should never throw pasta down the disposal or sink. Even if you run the pasta through the disposal, it will expand in the drain line and cause a clog over time. 

4.) Bones

You’d think this one would be obvious, but sometimes accidents happen. If you can help it, avoid putting any kind of bone down the disposal. While a garbage disposal can grind up many things, bone is a hard substance that can clog drains. 

5.) Oatmeal

Oatmeal is like pasta when it comes to drains. Oatmeal also absorbs and expands to cause a clog. When it comes in contact with water, oatmeal sludge and residue are very sticky, and debris will stick to it. 

Have A Clog? 

We all make mistakes. Maybe you accidentally dropped some oatmeal or celery down the drain and need some help. Now, you know the things you should never throw down the garbage disposal. If you have a clog and haven’t been able to unclog your drain, give the plumbing experts a call!