Is It Safe to Put Fruit Rinds in a Garbage Disposal?

In General

• In general, you can grind most fruit rinds in a garbage disposal as long as you grind them in small amounts. Flush the rinds with cold water as you are grinding them, and keep the water running so that it flows into the drain for about 30 to 45 seconds after you turn the garbage disposal off.

Banana Peels

• Do not grind banana peels in your garbage disposal. Banana peels have a fibrous inner skin that produces a stringy mass when you grind them in the disposal. The fruit remnants on the underside of the peel also create a mass of banana mush that can clog a pipe easily.

Peels With Seeds

• Avoid grinding any fruit peel with seeds, such as a strawberry top or any fruit cores with seeds in them; seeds are a common site in the core of apples, pomegranates, peaches and plums. The seeds can clog a garbage disposal very easily.

Lemon Rinds

• Shave off a few small sections of lemon peel, and place it in your garbage disposal. Drop two or three ice cubes on top of the rinds. Turn on the cold water, and flip on your garbage disposal to create a natural cleaner for your garbage disposal. Keep the water running for about 30 to 45 seconds after you turn off the disposal.