Operating a Garbage Disposal?

Don't ever load things into the disposal when it is running - never stick metal objects down into the disposal. Potato peels are not good to go into the disposal, because they can get stuck to the inside of it and cause odors where you can't see or get to them. "clean" the disposal occasionally with orange or lemon rinds

Susan Sanders-Kinzel
Diamond Feedback Medal for All Time! 1,023 Feedbacks

January 18, 20050 found this helpful

The ones mentioned are good tips. Always run cold not hot water while running the disposal. Hot water heats up the motor of the disposal. Don't run it without water running. Don't put in corn cobs, corn husks or woody stems. They usually just roll around and won't grind up.

If your disposal should stop, there quite often is a reset button on the disposal motor. Push the button and try it again. If you think something is jammed in it, (while it is turned off) take a broom stick and try to push the bottom wheel around to see if you can loosen it. Never put your hand or fingers, or any utensil in the disposal when it is running.

Susan from Thriftyfun.

Jennifer

January 19, 20050 found this helpful

A great way to sharpen blades is to fill disposal with ice cubes (to the top) , turn on your cold water from the faucet then turn on your disposal. Allow it to grind the cubes( it will be a little loud). Then turn off your disposal then turn off faucet. I do this every couple of months. You could add a few drops of liquid lemon or lime(from produce section in grocery store) to add a nice scent too.I this do often. Freshens the drain a bit. I don't put much in the disposal. I use my garbage for waste.

I use ice to sharpen/clean the blades and orange peel every now and then to freshen it. Do not put lots of lettuce, carrot shavings or potato peel in at once. It will get clogged and is a mess (I learned this the hard way more than once!).

Hi! NO potato peels!!! I found out the hard way...I had to pay a plumber $100.00 To unclog and snake my drain...OUCH! Aeromama

Do what the others have said. These are good suggestions. I follow these as well.

I have had a problem with my garbage disposal, though. I've had to unlog my disposal before a couple of times. I usually use a plunger to unclog the disposal and it works. It's a messy job though.

I do not like getting my clothes messy. I've ruined clothes before, while trying to fix the disposal. This has happened when I've had to fix my disposal before. Now I wear my jeans all the time when I have to run the garbage disposal. I do not have to worry about ruining clothing anymore and I can wash them afterwards. Wear your jeans anytime you run your garbage disposal, so you do not ruin your clothes either.

I like what Marc said. He's right with following the suggestions that people have posted. And he's also right about what you should wear when you have to run or fix your garbage disposal. I'm a plumber professionally. Any time I have to run or fix my garbage disposal or any other garbage disposal for that matter, I wear my jeans too.

i places raw eggs in disposal and they frothed up and clogged. why?

Editor's Note: Were you using cold or hot water? I can't really see why it would clog from eggs in either case but since it did you obviously have a problem. You can take the end of a broom stick and try to loosen it. *Garbage Disposal Off* Try to turn it with the broom stick by pushing against the wheel inside the disposal. If it will turn, then turn on the water and try again. If the motor doesn't turn on there is a reset switch down on the body of the garbage disposal, usually a little red button.

Kelly
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May 13, 20060 found this helpful

I would follow the rule, if it won't blend in the blender, don't put it in your disposal! You always need to clean vegetables and fruit before putting them in a juicer or blender, so I figure since it looks like a blender, it'll act like one (without a drain and rinse, of course!) I think that is why your raw eggs frothed and clogged: it whipped them up like a mixer.

I'm laughing inside here... don't ever put flowers down a disposal after you have broken up with your boyfriend...... LOL Yes, I learned the hard way! Try something else like letting the flowers dry and then burning them! Ha ha!

I like what people have said about wearing jeans to fix the garbage disposal. I wear my jeans all time to fix and run my garbage disposal. Do any of you wear your jeans to fix and run your garbage disposals?