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When it comes to disposing of garbage especially while washing the dishes, the kitchen sink is not always a good option. Even if you bought a suitable garbage disposal for your sink after consulting the best professional plumber in Fort Worth, TX, or had it installed by a professional plumber in Fort Worth, TX, it may not mean that there is no need to maintain. Following are some of the things that you might want to avoid and can help you maintain your garbage disposal and reduce the need to call for a plumber in Fort Worth, TX as frequently:

1.    Neglecting proper cleaning

Avoiding cleaning when it comes to garbage disposal is one of the things to avoid. Proper cleaning may help the garbage disposal to function properly, eliminate odors, as well as get rid of the chunks of food that might be caught within the garbage disposal. A malfunction caused by neglecting cleaning may call for a plumber in Fort Worth, TX.

A simple way to clean as well as freshen up the machine can be done by sprinkling in a bit of baking soda. Tossing in lemon or lime slices can also help out in the cleaning process along with eliminating odors. To help get rid of pieces of food stuck inside the disposal, you can grind up some ice cubes.

Avoid the use of harsh drain cleaners or bleach as they might corrode the plumbing and lead to malfunction, which may call for the services of a plumber in Fort Worth, TX.

Kitchen hack

Lemon and vinegar ice cubes can help you clean your garbage disposal. Simply, slice up lemons as to put a piece in each segment of the ice cube tray. Then fill each of the divisions containing pieces of lemon with vinegar but do not dilute. Put the ice tray in the freezer. You can even store the frozen cubes in a plastic bag in the freezer to use when required. Fling a handful of these frozen cubes in the garbage disposal every few days or every other day for cleaning.

You can even use two tablespoons of vanilla, orange or lemon extract if you are out of citrus peels and need the garbage disposal to be cleaned and deodorized. In case the odor is becoming unbearable, something might be amiss. Call in the pros to check the system and resolve the issue.

2.    Pushing in items that should not be pushed in

This includes nonfood items like cigarettes, glass, screws, nails, toys, wooden matches, twist ties, and rubber bands, as well as food items like hard bones, hard shells that might come from crabs, shrimp or other shellfish, and popcorn kernels that haven’t popped. Fibrous items or starchy items should also be avoided to be put in the garbage disposal as the former can get tangled while the latter gets thick that might result in drain blockages which might further lead to problems requiring the attention of a plumber in Fort Worth, TX. In short, it is advised to stick to food waste only.

Bones get stuck in drain pipes and will keep on spinning around the blades of the garbage disposal. Celery can get tangled around the blades where corn husks and asparagus have the similar case. You might think coffee grounds can be easily disposed but that is just the visible part of the situation. Coffee grounds can pile up and cause a mess in your drain resulting from the formation of something sludgy and sediment-like.

Items like celery, banana peels, potato peelings, corn cobs or corn husk, coffee filters or coffee grounds, pits or hard seeds from fruits, and onion skins are preferred to be cut into small pieces and then disposed in increments kept to a minimum or not disposed at all.

3.    Disposing egg shells

Eggs shells are said to be avoided to put in garbage disposals. The reason being they turn into a substance resembling sand which clogs the piping. It is also said that the membrane lining of the shell can adhere to the sides of the garbage disposal and wrap around the shredder. This can inflict damage, not to mention the clogs that have chances of leading to problems that might require a plumber in Fort Worth, TX to be solved.

4.    Using the wrong operating sequence

It is said that for the best operation the order you might want to follow is to first start running cool water. Then you should turn on the disposal. Next it is advised to not push in food all at the same time but put it in slowly but surely. After that you should run the disposal until the food is gone, where 30 seconds is usually a sufficient amount of time. Then switch off the garbage disposal and allow the water to run for a further 10 or 15 seconds as to flush out the drain.

5.    Running hot water during the process of crumbling waste

It is preferable to use cold water so that fat and grease can pass through the pipes while it is in a form that is intact. On the other hand, if you run hot water, the fat could melt and result in clogged piping. Grease has the ability to solidify like candle wax. Pouring grease in the disposal may cause it to solidify later on. This solidification results in clogs in the piping system that has chances of leading to issues possibly requiring a plumber in Fort Worth, TX.

Summary

Avoid overworking your garbage disposal

You might think your machine may be able to handle anything. But would you want to go that far and risk malfunction and repair calling for a plumber in Fort Worth, TX, or worse see the money you spent buying it go down the drain? It doesn’t hurt to be safe than sorry in this case and avoid overloading.

Keep to food scraps

Avoid disposing material that has risks of causing damage.

Run cold water

This is in the case of before, during, as well as after operating the disposal.

Compost, do not dispose

This mostly applies to fibrous, tough, or stringy scraps of food. Avoid hard items. Drain coffee grounds in small amounts.

Keep it clean

You can try the kitchen hack mentioned above.

If you are in need of a professional plumber in Fort Worth, TX, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing might be able to help you out. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is a member of the BBB with an A+ rating.