By Stephen Jordan, Owner of SMJ Plumbing in Slidell, Louisiana
Around here, I’ve heard it more times than I can count.
“Stephen, I’ve got a garbage disposal, so I figured it could handle it.”
Well, y’all, that’s where a lot of plumbing problems get their start.
A garbage disposal is a handy tool, but it isn’t a magic trash can. It’s designed to grind up small food scraps—not your entire dinner plate. Just because something fits down the drain doesn’t mean it belongs there.
Here are a few of the biggest troublemakers.
Grease and Cooking Oil
Grease may go down as a liquid, but once it cools, it hardens inside your pipes. Over time, it catches other debris and creates stubborn clogs that nobody wants to deal with.
Instead, let grease cool in a container and throw it in the trash.
Fibrous Foods
Celery, corn husks, onion skins, asparagus, and artichokes don’t grind well. Those stringy fibers can wrap around the disposal blades and jam the motor.
Your garbage disposal isn’t trying to make a salad.
Coffee Grounds
A lot of folks think coffee grounds are harmless because they’re so small. The truth is, they collect in your pipes like wet sand and can contribute to stubborn blockages over time.
Rice, Pasta, and Potato Peels
These foods soak up water and expand after they go down the drain. Before long, you’ve got yourself a clog instead of clean pipes.
Bones and Eggshells
Despite what you’ve heard, most disposals aren’t built to handle bones, and eggshells can leave behind gritty debris that settles in your plumbing.
A Good Rule of Thumb
If you wouldn’t toss it into a blender, don’t expect your garbage disposal to enjoy it either.
The best way to keep your plumbing happy is to scrape food into the trash before washing dishes. A few small scraps are fine, but your disposal shouldn’t be doing all the heavy lifting after every meal.
At SMJ Plumbing, we’ve cleared plenty of clogged drains that could have been avoided with a few simple habits. Taking care of your disposal today can save you time, money, and a plumbing headache tomorrow.
If your sink is draining slow, making strange noises, or your disposal has stopped working, give us a call. We’ll get everything flowing again so y’all can get back to enjoying your kitchen instead of worrying about it.
— Stephen Jordan
Owner, SMJ Plumbing
Slidell, Louisiana