How To Keep Your Garbage Disposal Running Smoothly

Like many plumbing components and fixtures, your garbage disposal is often taken for granted, only given attention when it’s in trouble. As much as it makes food waste management convenient, it can also bring a serious headache if it succumbs prematurely to improper care.

In addition to the inconvenience, you might also pay around $500 in average garbage disposal replacement cost—a price you can avoid through proper practice. So, how do you really maintain your disposal’s smooth operation?

Here’s Streamline Plumbing’s expert guide you can follow.

Use It Regularly

You may not always have food scraps to grind daily, but running your garbage disposal at least once a day can make a lot of difference. Regularly turn on your disposal to avoid food debris from accumulating, decomposing, and causing a musty odor. This is also an effective way of shielding your unit from rust and corrosion.

Flush With Cold Water

When grinding, you want the grease to be solid so they don’t stick to the plumbing below and cause clogs. This is the purpose of flushing your disposal with cold water during operation. Solid grease is also easier to process without sticking to your disposal, leaving your component odorless and mess-free.

Feed It Right

While your garbage disposal exists for grinding purposes, that doesn’t mean it can grind everything you feed it. Ensure you’re only putting down food waste your disposal is designed to handle. Avoid grinding fibrous, starchy food wastes and bones that can damage your disposal’s motor. And without elaboration, don’t process non-food wastes.

It’s also recommended that food waste be broken down into smaller pieces for safer and more efficient grinding.

Check the Trap

Have you noticed that curved pipe down your sink? That’s the p-trap, which needs to be inspected and cleaned routinely. Sometimes, food and grease can build up in this section, resulting in clogs that can hinder the performance of your waste disposal.

Avoid Chemical Cleaners

Your local plumber wouldn’t recommend using chemical cleaners on your garbage disposal or any plumbing needs. They’re toxic and corrosive and can likely damage your disposal’s internal components. You may want to stick to the classic vinegar and baking soda solution to avoid putting up your unit for repair.

If your only concern is odor, you can grind orange or lemon peels to deodorize your unit. It’s a cheap, safe, and effective alternative that you can do yourself. If your disposal needs more thorough cleaning, you can book a garbage disposal cleaning service with Streamline Plumbing for lasting results. 

Listen for Unusual Noises

The grinding noise of your garbage disposal is distinct, so when you hear unusual sounds from your unit, it’s only proper to inspect it for problems. Often, you’ll hear a rattling noise if foreign objects find their way to your disposal, like utensils or coins.

A humming noise without actual grinding suggests your blade or motor might be jammed, while screeching may indicate worn bearings. When these issues present themselves, it’s time to call a plumber for accurate inspection and repair.

Schedule Maintenance

While you can employ most of these steps as a proactive measure on your own, it’s still appropriate to have routine garbage disposal maintenance in place. You can schedule a yearly service to ensure your unit is consistently in its optimal condition.

Keep Your Garbage Disposal in Top Shape with Streamline Plumbing’s Expert Services

Your garbage disposal is vulnerable to malfunctions, but with proper care, you can extend its lifespan up to 15 years. Always observe the DOs and DONTs of using your unit, and find a local plumber who can professionally service it.

Turn to Streamline Plumbing for all your garbage disposal service needs. Our team specializes in dependable garbage disposal installation, repair, and maintenance that does not break the bank. Schedule an appointment today and bid goodbye to all your sink troubles!