6 Mistakes That Shorten Garbage Disposal Lifespan 

A properly functioning garbage disposal is important for convenient dish washing and kitchen cleaning. Unfortunately, many garbage disposal owners make mistakes that lead to premature wear and tear of their garbage disposal. 

Minimize plumbing costs for your kitchen by using your garbage disposal properly to avoid malfunctions. The following are six things you should not do so you can maximize your garbage disposal lifespan.  

1. Use Disposal as a Garbage Can

Only put food that is biodegradable down your disposal. Do not use your disposal to throw away things like paper, plastic, bones, hard candy, or cardboard. 

Also, only use your disposal for scraps, and do not dispose of full plates of food with it. Make the job easier on your disposal by cutting any large chunks of food into smaller pieces before putting them down.  

The placement of problem substances down a garbage disposal is among the number one causes of malfunctions. Remember that your disposal is not a garbage can that takes all kinds of trash.  

2. Overuse Disposal 

Some garbage disposal users get in the bad habit of running their disposal every time they turn their kitchen sink on. This is wasteful and wears out a disposal unnecessarily. 

The more you use a disposal, the more quickly its parts experience wear and tear. Only run your disposal when you rinse dishes and cookware with solid food scraps on them.  

3. Neglect to Run Disposal 

While you do not want to overuse your disposal, you also need to avoid going excessively long periods of time without running it at all.  

If you neglect to run your disposal occasionally, your disposal may malfunction because it freezes up or starts to develop corrosion. Periodically turn your disposal on if you have not used it to cut up food waste in a long time just to make sure it still runs properly and is in good shape.  

4. Neglect to Clean Disposal 

Regular disposal cleanings are important for maximizing disposal lifespan. If you neglect periodic disposal cleanings, food debris builds up in your disposal and bacterial growth proliferates. This eventually makes your kitchen sink smell unpleasantly.  

Pour a good quantity of boiling water down your disposal on a monthly basis to clear away any grease. Remove buildup from disposal blades by putting ice cubes down your disposal. Also, grind citrus peels with your disposal to freshen the smell of your sink and remove any food buildup on your disposal blades.   

5. Use Disposal With Warm Water 

While pouring boiling water alone down a disposal for cleanings is helpful, you should not use hot water when you run your disposal to cut up food waste. 

Hot water temporarily melts greases and oils so that they get down into pipes before they have been cut up. Greases and fats then solidify and clog pipes. Always run your disposal with cold water to keep food in a solid state before it reaches disposal blades and goes down into your plumbing system.  

6. Turn Off Disposal Too Soon 

Prematurely turning off your disposal allows food scraps to get stuck in your disposal and your pipes. This creates plumbing backup issues that damage disposals. Turning off your disposal too soon also allows food to remain in the disposal long enough to spoil and create unpleasant smells.  

Allow your disposal to continue running for a few moments even after you think all the food scraps have gone down. This way, you are sure that your disposal is completely clear before you turn it off.  

Contact us at Mike's Plumbing to learn more about proper garbage disposal use or to schedule service for your garbage disposal.