Are you completing regular maintenance on your kitchen garbage disposal? Do you have an annual plumbing maintenance appointment with our team? If not, it’s a great idea to start today. Taking excellent care of your kitchen garbage disposal will help it to work better and last longer with fewer issues. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about homeowner maintenance steps for your garbage disposal. Then, give our team a call when you need professional help with your kitchen plumbing in St. Louis.
Turn it On
One of the easiest ways to care for your garbage disposal is to turn it on and use it regularly. If it sits unused for too long, grime and gunk can build up inside, making it more difficult to use when you do turn it on. Of course, you should be mindful of what you put in your garbage disposal.
Eggshells, coffee grounds, and fibrous vegetables can be harmful and should be thrown in the trash instead. Your garbage disposal is designed to capture miscellaneous particles of food left behind on plates, not to be a dumping ground for leftovers. When in doubt, throw food in the trash instead of using the garbage disposal.
Run Some Cold Water
After using your garbage disposal each time, run some cold water afterward. This helps to rinse away any remaining food that may have gotten stuck to the blades. Doing this right away offers the best chance at keeping your garbage disposal clean and free from grimy buildup.
Clean The Disposal
Yet, it’s still appropriate to clean your garbage disposal with more than cold water. Like food, there is a list of things to avoid. Many online searches recommend using ice cubes to help clear away grime. This may work, but it can also cause problems because the ice cubes are so hard to break down.
Instead, sprinkle some baking soda and let it sit for five minutes before adding vinegar. Then, turn your garbage disposal on while you run cold water to rinse away the mixture. You can also purchase garbage disposal cleaners at the store. If you do this, be sure to follow the instructions to achieve the best results.
You may be tempted to use chemical drain cleaners that are designed to break down clogs, but we recommend against this. These harsh chemicals may do more harm than good – damaging your plumbing fixtures and leaving behind a residue.
Stick to simple and safe cleaners like baking soda and vinegar or those designed explicitly for garbage disposals. If those don’t work and you have concerns about clogs, jams, or other garbage disposal issues, call our team for help. It’s better to leave the repairs up to a professional team so we can get the job done right the first time.
Contact Performance Plumbing today for plumbing services in St. Louis, MO today!