what not to put down a garbage disposal?

Question

when i was growing up we had no garbage disposal, ive had one now for about 2 years, and still pick the stuff out and put it in the garbage! what is ok to shove down there, like say banana peels?I would really like to make it easier on myself, if i can just push the button, instead of digging stuff out!

Answer 1

What Goes Down Garbage Disposals


Small amounts of leftover food from your plate
Small potato pieces and peelings
Carrot peelings
Coffee grounds and tea bags (some say these are not OK)

What Does Not Go Down Garbage Disposals


Anything that is not biodegradable food
Anything combustible
Plastic and metal
Cigarettes and butts
Bones from any animal
Hamburger
Bacon grease or other grease
Egg shells
Potato skins or large amounts of potato
Corn cobs or husks, lettuce, asparagus and other fibrous fruits and vegetables
Pasta and rice
More notes:


Just remember, whatever you wash down the sink must make it to the road (city pipes). If it is doubtful that a peice of food will get that far without causing a back-up, don't wash it down your sink.

Anytime you put anything in your disposal make sure you run water for about 30 seconds. This will make sure you get the longest life possible out of your disposal.

Too much of anything is not good. For example, small amounts of potato peels might be okay, but if you put a lot, you're asking for a repair bill.

This old stand-by is right on: "When it doubt, throw it out."

Answer 2

Banana peels are a bit tough and probably are best put into garbage or composted.

Forks, knives and spoons are big no-no's. These, of course, are very rarely put down garbage disposals on purpose; vigilance is a good thing, especially if there is more than one person using the garbage disposal.

Answer 3

Redunico is Right On with a few corrections from a sewer cont-
ractor's daughter. Daily coffee grounds and tea will adhere to
greasey grime in plumbing lines, reduce flow, hasten a clog in
pipeline from house into mainline to street. Dump them in a flower bed or plastic lined trash container. Beware of One
blade of uncooked rice getting wiped off counter into G.D.
You and the maintenance person will swear the G.D. needs
to be replaced, even if two months old. You can try the reset button underneath, use the little wrench that comes with a G.D.
and feel nothing in there more than once, to no avail. Asking
yourself, what did I last make and do? With perserverance,
grip each blade and rock it back & forth until you find & grind
the lil mf out of there! I retrained tenants to not wash dishes
on GD side. Check gunk in strainer basket before rinsing it
out into G.D. Handle dry rice on opposite side of counter.

When informed by a tenant they needed a new G.D., I went to
see if I could fix it. I pulled out crab claws, baby bottle round
disks, and loaf of bread wire twist ties. They all burned out the motor, alright! After tenant paid, they got a new G.D.

Cheap owners buy the least efficient size, 1/4 HP, but a 3/4 HP
can handle cooked meat cut up in small pieces, like hamburger.
Don't push your luck with stems of banana peels. 3/4 G.D. do
last 20 years, if not abused.

Crab claws! Do you believe it!! Glad I left that property B4
I had to find out what they flushed in the toilet!

Answer 4

How about what not to put in your garbage disposal. Bones, banana peel, meats, anything stringy or hard. You can wash your plates off, vegetable peelings, egg shells, coffee grinds and so on. Do you get the jest of it all. I have to add something here by reading the other answers, you CAN put egg shells down a disposal, that is a myth, my book says I can, I read it in my book. Read yours and don't listen to them here. Of course corn husk would be considered stringy. DA!!

Answer 5

Depends on the disposal unit. I don't put peelings or fine green leafy things down. They tend to float and not grind up. Also big things like banana peels work but the ends of onions and other hard items will just bounce around. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

One more thing to add to the wonderful responses you already got - no celery, potato peels or lettuce, and don't put down a bunch of cooked rice or beans either. The rice and beans won't hurt the garbage disposal but they will clog your pipes big time! Everyone else mentioned all the other stuff, no need to repeat it again.

Answer 7

If you can easily chew it, it can go down. Except oily food because they can clog the pipes later on. I have put banana peels down there, I peel potatoes directly into mine(of course if you have an old cheap one, don't try it because the motor might not be strong enough.)`They have recently come out with one that can chew through bone, can't wait for the price of that one goes down.

Answer 8

i think most things are ok, but for me I dont do bannas or thick potato peals, egg shells, large chunks of meat etc... im sure those are ok i just worry. I let a few of those items slip, but take the majority out of the sink before i run the disposal. but....... i do sometime throw a lemon down for sent and it runs just fine... disposals are are tough but i wouldnt go over board, but the normal stuff off your dishes is fine.
remember to always run water while running it also

Answer 9

soft foods can go down,\

dont put stuff like egg shells, large fruits and veggies, and try not to accidently drop forks and spoons down there.

Answer 10

egg shells, any kind of seeds, onion skins, bones, those are the worst