Proper Cleaning & Maintenance of Kitchen Garbage Disposal Unit

Proper Uses

• Proper use of your garbage disposal unit ensures long life and ease of maintenance. Always run cold water before, during and after using the disposal. This allows the waste to be properly ground, and congeals grease and oil so they can be carried through the system. Hot water will dissolve the grease, depositing it in your disposal and pipes where it can accumulate and form clogs. Cold water also helps cool the disposal motor. Only run the motor for short periods of a minute or so to prevent overheating.

  Almost any form of food waste can be fed through your disposal as long as it's biodegradable and not of a high-fiber content. Avoid raw meats, along with high-fiber waste such as celery, corn husks, artichokes and gristle. Never put metal, plastic or aluminum foil in the disposal.

Cleaning

• To clean your garbage disposal unit, place 1/2 cup of baking soda in the unit, followed by 1 cup of white vinegar. Plug the drain with the stopper while the mixture fizzles. Rinse with boiling water. An alternate method is to insert the stopper and fill the sink with approximately 1 1/2 gallons of water and either 1 tbsp. household bleach or 1 cup of baking soda. Using rubber gloves, remove the stopper and allow the solution to drain.

Maintenance

• To keep your garbage disposal unit trouble-free, never pour grease or oil in it. Pour all oil and grease in a jar and keep in the refrigerator until it is full. Dispose of the full jar in the trash.

  To keep the blades clean and to eliminate odors, add a mixture of ice and citrus peels to the unit and grind, rinsing with cold water. Caustic cleaners and full-strength bleach can corrode the electrical parts of your disposal unit, so be sure to rinse the unit thoroughly if these chemicals are used.

Troubleshooting

• Before placing your hand into the unit, turn off both the circuit breaker feeding the disposal and the disposal unit itself. If the unit is running but makes strange noises and won't drain, it may be clogged. After turning off the unit and the circuit breaker, check for metal or other hard objects in the unit such as tin foil, bottle caps, plastic or paper that could be clogging the blades. Remove these with pliers if necessary. If the unit has stopped running, check the reset switch, a red button on or near the motor. After the unit has been cleaned of any obstruction, press the button back in to reset.