by Having a garbage disposal makes cooking easier by making disposing of all the extra garbage easier. It is basically a device that is installed under your sink and grinds up the waste so that it passes through the pipe easier and without clogging the drain. It makes your kitchen clean and helps to eradicate the smell of garbage and the insects that breed in it. It is perfect for someone who cooks regularly and needs a disposal. A garbage disposal unit is easy to use, helpful but can be of no use if you don’t maintain it. Here are five tips to keep your garbage disposal unit in good condition:
1. What you should do
Garbage disposal unit is a sensitive device and there are a bunch of things you can do to keep it functioning smoothly. Always use cold water while the garbage disposal is switched on. Cold water helps to remove the extra fat food and helps in the efficient running of your disposal. You can also sometimes put ice in your disposal to help sharpen its blade and clean it. Cleaning can also be done by putting orange or lemon peels in the disposal so that it gives your kitchen a fresh odour and cleans your disposal also. Since garbage disposal has limited strength, cut your food into smaller pieces before feeding it to the garbage unit. Like every other device, garbage unit is made to use regularly. Make sure you turn the device on every other day even if you have no garbage to avoid it from rusting.
Read: Janitorial Services for Site Office
2. What you should not do
With the list of dos’, there is always a list of don’ts. Never turn off your water or disposal until the disposing of is complete. You can let the water run for a few seconds after that. Using hot water with garbage disposal is a mistake and would damage your disposal unit. Drain cleaner, bleach and any other chemical that you think would unclog the drain is not good for disposal. Don’t use any kind of chemical to clean your unit. Don’t ever put greasy or fatty food at your disposal as they cling to the sides and become hard to clean. Throw these wastes elsewhere. You should always read the manual that comes with your garbage unit to know how well it can deal with different food waste.
3. Cleaning
Your garbage disposal needs regular cleaning to keep it functioning properly and its blade fresh and sharp. One of the best ways to keep your unit’s blade sharp is by putting ice cubes in it. Citrus fruits are helpful in cleaning the unit. However, you can also use vinegar and baking soda paste to clean the disposal. All you have to do is put this paste down the sink and wait. Use a brush to clean and then run cold water to clean your disposal unit and your pipes. They are a natural bleaching agent and won’t harm your disposal or pipes and would leave your kitchen fresh and clean. You can also clean the splash guard using a toothbrush.
4. Precautions
There is a lot of food that is absolutely not allowed to put in your disposal unit as they can hinder their functioning and even damage your unit. Never put hard food like bones and any other item that is hard to grind. Avoid egg shells, coffee grounds and high fibre food. Food that has a high amount of starch (potato and banana peels) sticks to the side of the disposal unit and should be avoided. Do not put food into the disposal which expands when water is added. Avoid putting oil, grease and any other fatty food items.
5. When it is not working
It is not easy to repair the unit yourself but there are a few steps before you decide to call the repair guy. The first thing you should do is to switch off your disposal unit. It is important to do so for your own safety. Look into your disposal unit to see if there is any food item that is clogging your unit. Remove that item and run your unit. If it still does not work, there is a reset button that you can use. If the problem persists, it’s time to call the plumber.
Any device that you purchase needs maintenance, care and careful usage. A garbage unit is no different. Make sure you know what to put and not put and give it an occasional clean and you’re good to go.
