Cleaning and Caring for Your Ogden Garbage Disposal

While garbage disposals are some of the most powerful plumbing-related items in any home, there's a misconception that they're simply impervious to any buildups or blockages. Keeping the garbage disposal clear at all times is important, not only for your convenience but for ensuring that this component stands the test of time within your sink.

At My Buddy the Plumber, we're proud to provide a number of drain cleaning services to clients throughout Ogden, including assistance with any garbage disposal needs you may have. Here are some basic tips on how to utilize and care for your garbage disposal on a regular basis, including avoiding any kind of clogging or buildups that might lead to further issues.

Avoiding Improper Items

First and foremost, it's important to avoid putting any items down your garbage disposal that aren't actually "garbage" as it were. Many people will attempt to put all kinds of food down their grinders, but this is a no-no.

Not only can many of these items, such as banana peels and potato skins, stick to the sides of your grinders and cause a significant amount of damage, but they can also cause major blockages. In general, it's important to avoid putting any kind of grease or oil down your garbage disposal.

If you do have a number of bones from a meal—such as chicken or fish—these should be disposed of in alternative ways. A good way to do this is by placing them in a plastic bag and throwing them in the trash can or outdoor compactor, thus avoiding any kind of clogging your disposal might experience from these materials.

Ensuring Clear Grinders

The grinders in your garbage disposal are what essentially grind up the garbage that you place into it, turning large pieces of food and waste into much smaller particles which can pass through your plumbing without any issues. As mentioned above, avoiding putting things down your grinder which shouldn't go there is a necessity to ensure that these components stay as clear as possible for as long as possible.

Beyond this, however, there are some other precautions you'll want to take when it comes to your grinder. Over time, these components can become packed with food and other items which might lead them to jam up or even break down. On occasion, there is also the potential for small items such as rings or earrings to be misplaced in these components—if this happens, it's vital to remove these immediately, both for the sake of the grinders themselves and those items.

Basic Cleaning

Periodically, it's good to clean out your garbage disposal to avoid both blockages and any poor odor buildups. Here are some simple steps:

• Flush out the disposal with hot water.
• Grind ice cubes – Turn on the disposal and grind some ice cubes. This helps sharpen blades which might have become dull over time.
• Salt – Next, add one cup of salt and turn on the disposal. Grind salt for about a minute, with some cold water running, then let everything sit in the sink for five minutes before rinsing out your disposal.
• Scrubbing and final rinse – Using baking soda or citrus peels, scrub the inside of your disposal with a paste. Lastly, once you've let this sit for about five minutes, rinse everything out with cold water.

For more on how to clean and care for your garbage disposal, or to learn about any of our drain cleaning or other plumbing services in Ogden, speak to the staff at My Buddy the Plumber today.