A garbage disposal is a convenient appliance that allows you to grind up and wash away small bits of food waste down the drain. However, not everything belongs in the garbage disposal. Certain items can damage blades, clog drains, and cause plumbing problems. Avoid potential garbage disposal disasters by knowing what not to put down the drain. Here are 13 things you should never put in a garbage disposal.
Eggshells
While egg shells may seem harmless, they can accumulate along the inside walls of your garbage disposal. As more shells get pushed through, they can collect along the grinding rings. Egg shells are slippery and tough, making it difficult for grinding rings to break them up. Over time, they can reduce the efficiency and performance of the appliance.
Instead of putting shells down the disposal, consider composting them or throwing them directly in the trash. Crushing shells into smaller pieces before disposing of them can also help reduce buildup. But avoiding them altogether is the best policy.
Coffee Grounds
Used coffee grounds seem like a natural thing to scrape into the sink drain. But the coarse grounds can quickly turn into a thick sludge that sticks to the inside of drain pipes. Damp coffee grounds have a sticky texture that can adhere to pipes and gradually form blockages.
While small amounts rinsed down with lots of water may pass through, coffee grounds should generally be avoided. Composting coffee grounds is one of the best alternatives. For small amounts, you can place the used coffee filter directly into your compost bin or trash.
Rice and Pasta
Starchy foods like rice and pasta tend to expand in water. Even in small quantities, wet rice and pasta can clump together and stick to the inside of drains and pipes. As more of these starchy foods get rinsed down, they gradually accumulate and can cause clogged drains.
Never pour large amounts of rice, pasta, oats, or other grains down your garbage disposal. Compost or trash are the best ways to dispose of most starchy foods. Also avoid sending wet paper products like napkins down with food waste, since they can bind with starches and create obstructions.
Oil and Grease
Oil and grease should never be poured down the drain. Even small amounts of cooking oil or grease from meat can slowly build up on the interior drain walls. Hot grease can even solidify and completely clog drain pipes.
When grease hits the cold pipes beneath your sink, it congeals and sticks to the pipe walls. Food particles and other debris passing through can then catch on the grease, which exacerbates drain blockages. Remember to remove oil and grease from pans and dispose of it with trash instead.
Fibrous Foods
Fibrous fruit and vegetable waste like potato peels, artichoke leaves, corn husks, and celery can jam garbage disposals. The strong, stringy nature of fibrous plant material makes it challenging for grinders to break down. Rather than getting shredded, the fibers often wrap around the shredder ring and grinding plate.
Over time, this stringy buildup reduces the garbage disposal’s efficiency. Fibrous foods are better composted or disposed as solid trash. Never put large amounts of peels, leaves, husks or other stringy veggies down the drain.
Expanded Pet Food
Some pet foods, especially dry kibble, can expand significantly when it gets wet. Dry pet food absorbs a huge amount of water and swells up. This can easily lead to clogs as the expanded kibble gets lodged in drains and pipes. Even small amounts of wet pet food can accumulate and create obstructions.
Never empty cans of wet pet food down the drain. Dry kibbles should also be kept out of the garbage disposal, even if you rinse them down with lots of water. Place wet and dry pet food in the trash instead. Avoid leaving pet dishes by the sink, which can lead to accidental dumping.
Pasta
Cooked pasta seems like an obvious food scrap to place in the garbage disposal. However, the starchy noodles can turn into a thick paste that adheres to pipes and drains. Even in small amounts, pasta has a tendency to accumulate. The more pieces that go down your drain, the more likely they are to clog.
Rinsing pasta under running water does help reduce the amount that sticks. But avoid making a habit of dumping pasta down the disposal altogether. Place cooked and uncooked pasta in your compost bin or trash can instead. This starchy food is one of the worst offenders for clogging kitchen sinks.
Large Bones
While the garbage disposal can handle small bits of bones from meat, poultry, or fish, large intact bones should never go down the drain. Solid bones do not get shredded by the grinder blades. As more bones pile up, they eventually block water from flowing through the drain properly.
Large T-bones, ham bones, and chicken bones should always be disposed as trash. Consider composting small, soft bones from fish or chicken wings if your compost can handle them. But never put solid, large bones down your garbage disposal expecting them to grind up.
Corn Husks
The fibrous, stringy texture of corn husks makes them inappropriate for garbage disposals. Like other leaves and stalks, corn husks can quickly tangle up on shredder rings or get caught in drains. Over time, buildup will reduce grinding capacity and lead to jams.
Whether raw or cooked, corn husks should not go down the garbage disposal. The tough, stringy material requires more strength and torque than home garbage disposals can generate. Keep husks out of the sink drain altogether by composting or trashing them.
Fruit Pits and Seeds
Fruit pits and seeds from produce like cherries, peaches, mangos, and avocados are too hard to grind for residential sinks. They can damage and dull the shredder blades over time, reducing the effectiveness of your garbage disposal. Pits and seeds often get lodged, too.
While small seeds can sometimes pass through, it’s still not recommended. The safest route is to remove all pits, seeds, and cores from fruit before placing peels or pulp down the garbage disposal. Compost or trash are the best places for avocado pits, mango seeds, and other hard fruit pieces.
Onion Skins
While onion skins may seem harmless, their thin, slippery texture makes them unsuitable for garbage disposals. Onion skins can slide past shredder blades without getting chopped up. As they accumulate, drainage can get obstructed.
Onion skins that make it through your garbage disposal can also turn into a slimy mess inside drains. Food particles will stick to the slick skins, making clogs more likely over time. Place onion skins in compost or trash instead of sending them down the drain.
Expanded Rice
Uncooked rice rapidly absorbs water and swells up into a thick, gluey paste. This texture makes it prone to clogging drains as it accumulates. Even small amounts of uncooked rice can turn into obstructions when they meet water inside the pipes and garbage disposal.
Never rinse or pour uncooked rice down your sink, even if you turn on the garbage disposal while doing so. The rice will swiftly expand and plug drainage pipes. Cooked rice is also difficult on garbage disposals since it turns to paste. Rice is best composted or thrown away instead.
Pasta
Cooked pasta seems like an obvious food scrap to place in the garbage disposal. However, the starchy noodles can turn into a thick paste that adheres to pipes and drains. Even in small amounts, pasta has a tendency to accumulate. The more pieces that go down your drain, the more likely they are to clog.
Rinsing pasta under running water does help reduce the amount that sticks. But avoid making a habit of dumping pasta down the disposal altogether. Place cooked and uncooked pasta in your compost bin or trash can instead. This starchy food is one of the worst offenders for clogging kitchen sinks.
Eggshells
While egg shells may seem harmless, they can accumulate along the inside walls of your garbage disposal. As more shells get pushed through, they can collect along the grinding rings. Egg shells are slippery and tough, making it difficult for grinding rings to break them up. Over time, they can reduce the efficiency and performance of the appliance.
Instead of putting shells down the disposal, consider composting them or throwing them directly in the trash. Crushing shells into smaller pieces before disposing of them can also help reduce buildup. But avoiding them altogether is the best policy.
Coffee Grounds
Used coffee grounds seem like a natural thing to scrape into the sink drain. But the coarse grounds can quickly turn into a thick sludge that sticks to the inside of drain pipes. Damp coffee grounds have a sticky texture that can adhere to pipes and gradually form blockages.
While small amounts rinsed down with lots of water may pass through, coffee grounds should generally be avoided. Composting coffee grounds is one of the best alternatives. For small amounts, you can place the used coffee filter directly into your compost bin or trash.
Fibrous Foods
Fibrous fruit and vegetable waste like potato peels, artichoke leaves, corn husks, and celery can jam garbage disposals. The strong, stringy nature of fibrous plant material makes it challenging for grinders to break down. Rather than getting shredded, the fibers often wrap around the shredder ring and grinding plate.
Over time, this stringy buildup reduces the garbage disposal’s efficiency. Fibrous foods are better composted or disposed as solid trash. Never put large amounts of peels, leaves, husks or other stringy veggies down the drain.
Grease and Oil
Grease and oil should never be poured down the drain, even in small amounts. As hot grease from cooking cools inside drain pipes, it congeals and sticks to the walls. Food particles and debris then catch on the grease, creating worse blockages over time.
Always wipe excess grease and oil out of pans using paper towels before washing. Scrape greasy residue into the trash for disposal rather than rinsing it down the drain. Avoid letting hot grease enter drain pipes by any means. The greasy buildup is difficult to remove and can cause chronic plumbing issues.
Starchy Foods
Foods with high starch content like pasta, rice, oats, and potatoes can quickly create dense obstructions inside drains and pipes when rinsed with water. The starches turn into a thick glue-like paste that accumulates. Even small amounts can become blockages.
Never put large quantities of starchy foods down your garbage disposal. While small amounts may pass through, making a habit of it can lead to trouble. Place pasta, rice, oats, potatoes and other starch-heavy foods in your compost or trash instead. Avoid letting water turn them into a heavy paste.
Bones
While soft bones may grind, large, hard bones should never go in the garbage disposal. Solid bones from steak, chicken, pork chops, or other meats can jam the shredder unit, causing the motor to burn out. Bones that make it through can accumulate and block pipes.
Place all bones in the trash for safe disposal. Compost soft, small bones if approved by your compost facility. But remember that home garbage disposals do not have enough power to properly grind large bones. Keep sink drains bone-free by discarding bones appropriately.
Eggshells
It may seem convenient to grind eggshells in the garbage disposal, but it’s better to avoid this. The thin, smooth texture of shells allows them to slide past shredder blades without being chopped up. Over time, large pieces can accumulate and clog drains.
Egg shells also build up inside the garbage disposal unit, sticking to grinders and reducing efficiency. Their slippery outer membrane makes shells difficult to grind for home disposals. Place shells in compost or trash instead to avoid long-term appliance issues. Never put more than small amounts of egg shell down the drain.
Expanded Pet Food
Wet or dry pet food can quickly expand and clog drains once water is added. The swollen kibble and meat chunks easily get wedged in pipes and block water flow. Even small amounts of expanded pet food can create obstructions.
Never rinse canned pet food or wet food scraps down the drain. Avoid leaving open bags of dry kibble near the sink where water can splash in. Regularly wiping down pet dishes and keeping food far from the sink will help. Place all unused wet and dry pet food in the trash for safe disposal.
Corn Husks
Whether cooked or raw, the fibrous husks of corn cobs should stay out of the garbage disposal. The stringy texture can tangle easily around shredder components and clog drains. Even small amounts will accumulate over time as husks get snagged and collect other debris.
Composting or throwing corn husks in the trash are the best ways to dispose of them. The tough, leafy husks require more grinding capacity than home disposals can handle. Letting any food scraps or husks go down the drain will lead to problems eventually. Keeping corn debris completely out of the sink drain is wise.
Pits and Seeds
Fruit and vegetable pits and seeds are often too hard and large to be broken down by residential garbage disposals. Pits can damage shredder blades, and seeds tend to get stuck in drains over time. Allowing them to go down the drain will reduce appliance performance.
Cherry pits, watermelon seeds, avocado pits, and other hard fruit and vegetable pieces are best placed in compost or trash. Avoid letting any sizable pits, seeds or cores go down the drain. While small soft seeds may pass through, pits and cores often get lodged and lead to jams. Keep drains clear by discarding pits and seeds appropriately.
Stones and Pits
Fruit pits, seeds, and small stones should never be put down your garbage disposal. These hard materials cannot be shredded by residential appliance grinders. At best, they will get stuck. At worst, they will damage blades and clog drains over time.
Cherry pits, olive pits, mango seeds and peach stones are far better off going into the trash or compost. While you may be able to grind up soft fruit seeds occasionally, any hard pits or stones should be discarded in the trash for safety. They offer no benefits going down the drain.
Avoid letting any pit, stone or seed accidentally go down along with fruit scraps. Take the extra time to remove them ahead instead, and you will prevent many future plumbing headaches. Keep drains clear and appliance blades sharp by disposing of pits appropriately.
FAQs about Clogging a Garbage Disposal
What food items cause the most garbage disposal clogs?
The food items most likely to clog garbage disposals include:
- Rice, pasta, oatmeal and other starchy foods that can expand and stick together
- Grease and oil that congeal to pipes as they cool
- Fibrous vegetable peels like artichokes, celery, and corn husks that don’t break down
- Egg shells that slide past the shredder blades
- Fruit pits, seeds and stones that are too hard to grind up
- Bones that are too solid for home disposers to shred
- Pet food that expands rapidly when wet
Should I worry about what goes down my garbage disposal?
Yes, you should always be cautious about what goes into the garbage disposal. While they are designed to grind small bits of food waste, certain items can damage blades, clog pipes, and cause problems. Avoid putting anything fibrous, starchy, bony or greasy down the drain. Over time, debris builds up and causes major clogging issues if the wrong things go down.
Why shouldn’t fruit pits go down the garbage disposal?
Fruit pits like avocado stones and mango pits are too hard for most residential garbage disposals to grind. They can damage blades and eventually cause obstructions in drains. Pits may go down initially but they do not break up entirely. Over time, they can get lodged in pipes along with food waste. For appliances to work safely and efficiently, pits and stones should be disposed of in the trash or compost instead.
What food can sink garbage disposals handle safely?
Garbage disposals can safely handle small pieces of cooked veggies, soft fruits, ground meat scraps, softened breads, coffee grinds, and small soft bones. Grinders are designed to break down soft, small food bits rinsed with plenty of water. Avoid large, dense, fibrous, or starchy items. Anything hard like shells, husks or pits can cause damage and should go in the trash.
What is the worst thing you can put down a garbage disposal?
The worst things for garbage disposals include: large bones, corn husks, artichoke leaves, eggshells, coffee grounds, and any fibrous or starchy foods. Items like rice and pasta rapidly expand, while grease solidifies, both clinging to pipes. Large bones, husks, and shells don’t grind up and can jam the shredder. Avoid anything that is dense, stringy, or likely to clog.
Conclusion
Garbage disposals provide a convenient way to get rid of some types of food waste. However, they aren’t equipped to handle all items. Being mindful about what goes into the garbage disposal will prevent costly plumbing repairs and keep your appliance working smoothly for longer. Avoid potential drain clogs or appliance jams by never putting in pits, grease, bones, starchy pasta, or fibrous vegetable peels. With the proper care and maintenance, your garbage disposal can handle normal food grinding and keep your sink clear. Just remember the key items to keep out so you can avoid problems down the road.