10 Things Never to Put Down Your Garbage Disposal (Including One That People Often Recommend)

Just because it is called a garbage disposal does not mean you can put all types of “garbage” down it. Feed it the wrong things and it will cause bad smells, create clogs or even damage itself. Soft leftovers on your plates, chopped vegetable scraps and fruit peels will go down the garbage disposal just fine, but here are 10 things of what NOT to put down a garbage disposal,  and would be better off in your green bin, compost pile or garbage.

1. Can You Put Rice Down the Garbage Disposal?: NO to pasta, rice, and oatmeal! Do you know how macaroni gets bigger as you boil it? Pasta, rice and oatmeal will all continue to swell with water, even after going through the garbage disposal.
2. Can You Put Potato Skins in the Garbage Disposal? NO to potato peels & skins! People like to peel potatoes over the kitchen sink, but if you put those peels down the kitchen disposal they can turn into a gluey mess.
3. Can You Put Bones in a Garbage Disposal?: NO to bones! Technically grinding up smaller bones can be good for the garbage disposal and drain, but larger bones can jam it up or clog your drain. So, it is best to avoid all bones.
4. Can You Put Seafood Shells in a Garbage Disposal? NO to shells! Lobster, clam, oyster, or mussel shells can damage the sink disposal unit’s blade or cause a clog.
5. Can You Put Eggshells in a Garbage Disposal?: NO to eggshells! The thin membrane on the inside of eggshells can wrap around the blades. The eggshells grind down into a sand that can clog pipes.
6. Can You Put Fruit Pits in a Garbage Disposal?: NO to stone fruit pits: You can safely put most fruit in the garbage disposal, but remember cherry, peach, plum and other fruit pits can cause damage. 
7. Can You Put Nuts in a Garbage Disposal?: NO to grinding nuts! Do you want to know how to make (sticky) peanut butter or almond butter? It’s actually a very similar process to what your garbage disposal does
8. Can You Put Medication in a Garbage Disposal?: NO to flushing meds! Please do not put drugs down the drain as it affects our water supply. Return unused medications to the pharmacy.
9. Can You Put Grease Down a Garbage Disposal?: NO to fat, grease, and oil! Everyone knows not to put grease down the drain, but sometimes people mistakenly think it is okay to put it down the garbage disposal. Nope. Grease will pass through the garbage disposal and then clog your drain.
10. Can You Put Coffee Grounds Down the Garbage Disposal?: NO to coffee grounds! People often recommend putting coffee grounds down the garbage disposal to mask the food odor or “clean the pipes,” but, no, coffee grounds form a sludge that can clog your pipes.

The Drain Experts at Rowell’s Services can help you out no matter what you have put down your garbage disposal. They can clear it if it’s jammed, replace the unit if it’s damaged or unclog your drain if the problem is further down the line.