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Garbage Disposer Answers to Common Questions

What can I put into my disposer?

Most disposers can handle the following--regardless of whether you have a city sewer or a septic tank:

Soft food particles

Ice cubes, most softer bones, fruit pits, etc.--which help to clean the inside of the disposer

Citrus fruit peel--which freshens drain smells

Coffee grounds

Disposer cleaner, degreaser, or deodorizer

 

What shouldn't I put into my disposer?

Don't put these in your disposer:

Hot water, while you're grinding food waste (it's fine when the disposer is turned off)

Extremely fibrous material like corn husks, artichokes, celery stalks, onion peels, and so on

 

Do I have to run the water while using the disposer?

Yes. Run a full stream of cold water through the disposer while it grinds. Then let the water run for another 30 seconds after you turn off the disposer.

 

The most important thing to remember about a garbage disposal is that it is designed to work with your plumbing to dispose of food scraps through your drain pipes. If you don't run enough water before and after you turn the garbage disposal on, you will not send the food particles completely through the disks that cut up the food and you will also not send the food all the way out of your drainage pipes.

How long should I let the disposer run?

Just until the food has been ground up--which is usually less than 30 seconds.

Do coffee grounds/ice cubes clean a disposer?

Perhaps. They won't harm your disposer, though.

My disposer smells. How do I clean it?

Grinding a lemon rind helps reduce odors. You may also want to try one of the disposer cleaners, degreasers, or deodorizers that you can buy at the grocery or hardware store or see our parts section for the ones we offer.

source: http://www.repairclinic.com/Garbage-Disposer-Answers-to-Common-Questions

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