How Can I Maintain My Garbage Disposal?

Minimize the Use of Your Garbage Disposal

If you’re able to compost vegetable waste at home, you can dispose of material like vegetable peels, cuttings, stems, seeds and coffee grounds by composting. Composting allows you to convert these waste items into a valuable soil amendment that you can use in your garden. Find out more about composting and compost bins. Save your disposal for the necessary stuff.

Dispose of Liquid Materials in the Garbage Disposal - If they’re not hazardous or made up primarily of fats or oils, liquids are safe to put in the garbage disposal.

A common garbage disposal complaint is bad odors. This is often due to a failure to run enough water through and ensure everything is adequately flushed out. To keep your disposal fresh and clean, consider the following tips:

Grind Thoroughly - Make sure you allow adequate time for everything to get ground and flushed with water. Leftover particles cause odors.

Clean Regularly - At least once a week, take a bottle brush and scrub inside the disposal. This small maintenance step will go a long way in keeping your disposal fresh.

Grab Citrus - Fresh orange, lemon, or limes can help cut grease and eliminate odors. Simply grind pieces in the disposal.

Vinegar is Good - Freeze some vinegar in ice cube trays and blend in the disposal. This helps to eliminate bacteria which can cause odor.

If you are careful with what you put through your disposal, and keep it clean, it should provide you with many years of carefree service. Contact Chicago area Morning Noon and Night Plumbing at 773-880-0072 or online at morningnoonandnightplumbing.com for assistance with any of your plumbing needs.

Fix Your Plumbing Issues Before The Holidays

If you're hosting Thanksgiving this year, here are some tips to avoid a visit from one of our friendly plumbers by following some of these clog prevention tips:

• Never, ever pour fats and cooking oils down the drain. These items eventually solidify in your pipes. Once fats and oils are cool, wipe it away with a paper towel and throw it in the trash.
• Steer clear of putting fibrous, starchy, or stringy food waste down the garbage disposal. Your garbage disposal is no match for foods like potato peels, asparagus, fruit rinds, and poultry skins and may result in a clog. 
• Be sure to run the disposal while you're putting food into it. Never wait until it's bubbling over with water to turn it on.
• If you're hosting overnight guests this holiday season, it's a good rule of thumb to wait at least 15 minutes between showers so slow drains have time to do their job.
• At no time should cotton balls, swabs, or hair be flushed down the toilet. They don't dissolve and will cause eventually lead to a clog.
• If you know your kitchen sink is acting up, or if you have a tub that takes forever to drain, try to address any plumbing problems before the holiday and before guests arrive. This can prevent a plumbing catastrophe. 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and be sure to contact Chicago area Morning Noon and Night Plumbing at 773-880-0072 or online at www.morningnoonandnightplumbing.com for assistance with any of your plumbing needs.

Garbage Disposal Maintenance Tips

1. Be sure to insert garbage loosely and slowly into the garbage disposal. If you pack in too much at once, you can jam the disposal.

2. To flush food particles through the garbage disposal and down the drain line, use a strong flow of cold water while running the disposal for at least 30 seconds after noise of grinding has stopped.

3. Always use cold water when operating the disposal in order to solidify fatty, greasy waste so it is chopped up and flushed down the drain. This will also prevent waste from liquefying and coating your pipes.

4. After a period of time the teeth in your disposal will begin to dull. If your disposal jams often, fill your disposal up with ice to help keep the blades sharp. 


5. Don't dump fat, grease, and oils down your garbage disposal. The best way to get rid of liquid fats is to let them cool, pour or scrape them into a can or jar, and dispose of it in the trash once it's solidified. 


6. Water, water, water! Your garbage disposal's motor WILL burn out eventually if water is not running before, during, and after usage. 


7. Never let food sit inside your disposal and be sure to run the disposer each time you put food waste in it. Disposals are subject to corrosion from the acids formed by food waste left for an extended period of time.



8. Sometimes your garbage disposal will throw in the towel if you haven't been playing nicely. If you find your disposal without power, reset it. 


9. Keep your disposal clean by pouring a bit of dish soap and cold water down it, then let it run for 30 seconds to a minute. You can also add citrus peels with the water and soap for added freshness.

10.Your garbage disposal is NOT a trash can. It's not meant for stringy vegetables, expandable food, bones, plastic, glass, and metal. When in doubt, throw it out!

Be nice to your disposal and it will be nice to you for years to come. Having problems or need a new unit? Contact Chicago area Morning Noon and Night Plumbing at 773-880-0072 for additional tips and service for all of your garbage disposal needs.