Garbage disposals are an integral part of today’s kitchen! But have you ever wondered why a garbage disposal can’t handle garbage? Maybe you aren’t using it right. What?! you say! Yes there is proper use for a garbage disposal and before you use and abuse yours this holiday season… read on!
First, garbage disposals are beneficial in a number of ways. So let’s talk about that first.
Eliminates Trash
Using a garbage disposal to eliminate food waste can cut down on the amount of bags of trash generated by a household. This can save you money in what you spend to purchase trash bags and in the cost of city trash removal.
Eliminates Odor
Stinky trash is primarily cashed by food waste. Using a garbage disposal helps to eliminate unpleasant smells in the home.
Eliminates Sink Waste
Sinks that are used for washing dishes can become clogged with food waste. Garbage disposals help to eliminate sink waste.
Eliminates Clogged Drains
Because garbage disposals allow you to easily dispose of food waste in sinks, they help to avoid the clogged drains that can sometimes result from accumulated food particles.
So the bottom line is that garbage disposals save time and money
Garbage disposals allow homeowners to quickly dispose of food waste, and help them to avoid time-consuming and potentially costly repairs to clogged sink drains. By reducing household waste, garbage disposals help homeowners save money on trash bags and trash removal services.
But there is a reason plumbing companies, like ours, find the day after Thanksgiving is one of our busiest days for drain cleaning service! Using your disposal for too much garbage and for large amounts of “food disposal” can create long term problems. Here are some hints and tips to keep your drains clear during the holidays:
• Run a LOT of COLD water down the drain until the disposal completely clears all waste.
• Feed only SMALL bits of food down the disposal SLOWLY. A garbage disposal is meant to run when rinsing dishes in the sink. It chops up the small pieces of garbage left behind, so that your drain doesn’t clog.
• Allow the disposal to clear & drain completely before adding more food scraps.
• Do not put hard objects (such as cherry pits, pieces of plastic, etc” into the disposer. They can jam the mechanism and make an awful noise and even cause breakage.
• It is not recommended to reach down inside the disposer with your hand as you may risk serious injury.
To maintain your disposal:
• Put ice cubes in the disposal to sharpen the blades between uses or about every two weeks. You can also add one cup of rock salt, which boosts the sharpening effect and dissolves easily.
• A popular, but ill-advised cleaning tip is to put bleach and other chemicals to clear clogs and freshen odors. These chemicals can do damage to the disposer mechanism and should not be used. Instead, use Bio- Clean to eliminate odors and maintain clear drains lines all year round.
• Use a specially designed disposal brush to remove hard to reach deposits that cause odors and food build- up
• Grind up citrus fruits in disposal for a fresh citrus smell
Disposers wear out over time or become damaged by foreign objects – like silverware that get caught in the machine. Should this occur, or if your drain becomes clogged or maybe you are looking to replace your garbage disposal call the professionals at Brothers Plumbing, Heating & Electric!
And for the month of November ONLY bundle and save 25% when you give your kitchen sink a makeover:
• New Kitchen Sink Faucet
• New Garbage Disposal
• New Drain Pipes Underneath
Call 303-451-5057 to schedule an appointment! Your guests will be begging to do the dishes this holiday season!
Let me know if you have questions.
Lynn Tomasek
Human Resource/Marketing Manager
Brothers Plumbing, Heating & Electric
12249 Pennsylvania Street
Thornton, CO 80241
Phone: 303-450-4148
Fax: 303-457-0277
lynn@brothersplumbing.com
www.brothersplumbing.com
