The Proper use of Dishwashers + Garbage Disposals
In property management there are tons of items to pay close attention to, two of the most common we have personally come across are the proper use of a Garbage Disposal as well as the Dishwasher. These are two that are constantly being damaged due to negligent use and the cost can add up!
A few tips of how the do’s and don’ts……..
Do use a garbage disposal sparingly – Any large items put into a plumbing system can cause clogs. Even smaller pieces can be problematic for septic tanks and cesspools. Having too much solid matter will throw these systems out of balance, reducing the ability to break down waste. Putting too much food garbage down the disposal may cause a costly system failure. Large food items should still be scraped into the trash or compost bin, and only the residual allowed to go in the disposal.
Do run the disposal with cold water – Always run cold water down the drain when using the disposal. Not only will water help push scraps down the pipes, cold water in particular helps coagulate fats, which allows the disposal blades to grind them up so they don’t stick to the pipes and cause clogs.
Don’t put just anything into the disposal – In addition to only putting small food scraps down a disposal, be careful about what goes in there. Don’t grind up non-food items, bones or fibrous foods like banana peels. Avoid things like grease and oil that can build up on pipes and cause a clog. The surprising thing that made one owner take out all garbage disposals in her rentals. Rice! Putting cooked rice and pasta down a garbage disposal mashes the material into a thick paste that can cause the disposal to stop working or clog the drain.
It’s not an All-Purpose Trashcan – While we may think of a disposal as an indestructible mechanical machine, it does have its limitations regarding what it can and cannot accept. Because of this, we highly recommend you not toss metal cans, cigarette butts, banana peels, grease and oil, large bones, glass, or plastic items into the disposal. If you do, a number of problems will result, such as clogged drains, damaged gears, and blades that will become dull, bent, or broken.