Garbage disposals are a nifty device you can find in most kitchens. A disposal’s job is to collect solid food waste, grind it up, and allow it to pass through the rest of your sink‘s piping.

While it may seem that a garbage disposal can grind up just about anything, that isn’t always the case.

There are some things you shouldn’t put in a garbage disposal. You risk breaking the disposal or ruining your sink‘s piping if you do. A broken disposal can be a costly error.

Here at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Tyler, we’re here to break down what not to put in your garbage disposal and what is okay to put in your garbage disposal.

If you have any questions for Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Tyler, feel free to give us a call or visit the rest of our website.

What to put in garbage disposal:

Should you put ice down the disposal?

Ice cubes can go down your garbage disposal. They help clean and sharpen your disposal’s blades.

Throwing a few ice cubes down the drain every few weeks is a good habit to ensure the blades stay sharp and functional.

Ice cubes can also help freshen up your disposal’s smell. If you have a smelly kitchen, it’s likely coming from your drain’s disposal.

Food can build up around the blades. Over time, that food can begin to rot, causing an unpleasant smell and even attracting bugs.

Ice cubes, paired with some lemon juice and vinegar, can break down the food waste with acid and flush it down the rest of your drain.

Should you put grease down the disposal?

Absolutely not. Grease and other fats are among the worst things you can put down your drain.

When hot grease cools, it solidifies. The solid, hardened grease won’t liquify again. The solidified grease can plug holes in your drain and prevent water from flowing down and out.

A small amount now and then is okay. But if you just fried some wings for a football game, don’t pour the leftover oil into your drain.

Can you put eggshells down the disposal?

Contrary to common belief, it would be best if you did not put eggshells down your drain. 

You may have heard that eggshells help sharpen your disposal’s blades. Unfortunately, this is not true. They have little effect on the blade’s sharpness, good or bad.

But the mucus-like membrane inside the eggshell that remains once you’ve cracked it is the real problem.

Much like grease, this membrane can solidify and clog your drain. Don’t throw eggshells in the drain. Instead, throw them in the trash.

Can chicken bones go down the disposal?

In most cases no, chicken bones should not go down the disposal. Bones can be too harsh for blades to grind up properly. A small bone may pass through safely, but we do not recommend attempting it.

Chicken bones can be particularly dense. They can dull the blades on your disposal, break the disposal’s components, and clog the drain. A disposal can safely handle chicken flesh and cartilage, but you should throw bones away.

Can you put coffee grounds in the disposal?

Along with grease, coffee grounds are among the worst things you can put into your disposal.

Wet coffee grounds will form a thick paste that will block water from passing through.

Running your disposal and passing cold water through long enough will clear out the grounds, but it’s much easier to throw them away or use them for a compost pile.

What to do if you put grease down your disposal?

The best thing to do is take immediate action. Accidents happen, but it’s important to act fast to fix them.

Start by pouring hot water down the drain. The water will prevent the grease from solidifying and flush some of it down the drain.

To get the rest of the grease out, pour some vinegar and baking soda into the drain. These are safe, natural products to pour into your disposal. Avoid chemical products like Drano. They will work but will cause damage to your drain in the long run.

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Tyler serves the East Texas cities of Kilgore, Longview, Tyler, and Whitehouse with a team of certified plumbers. In addition to emergency plumbing repair, some of the plumbing services provided by the company include faucet repair, drain services, toilet repair, plumbing fixture installations, tub and shower installations, kitchen sink repair, faucet installation, water heater repair/replacement, and garbage disposal replacement. Call us today at (903) 730-6611 to schedule an appointment!