Potato Peels & Garbage Disposals

Potato Peel Perils

• Unlike the skins of carrots, apples, pears and other starch-free foods, potato peels emit gummy starch that turns them into a paste akin to over-mashed potatoes when they are pulverized by the blades of a garbage disposal. This mass often attaches to the garbage disposal cutting mechanism or becomes clogged in the auxiliary pipes, causing an obstruction.

Other Disposal Foes

• Besides starch, garbage disposals cannot handle stringy or fibrous materials. Onion skins, scallions, chives, celery and banana peels are not recommended for most garbage disposals as they wind around the blades and prevent them from turning and cutting. Avoid putting stringy cooked meat like beef, pork or chicken in the disposal. Disposals cannot grind up bones, cartilage or gristle, either raw or cooked. Animal-based fats poured into garbage disposals solidify in the blades and pipes and cause the appliance to fail. Although coffee grounds and egg shells seem delicate and easily ground, their tiny particles cling to the sludge of pipe linings and the buildup promotes clogging.

Operational Mistakes

• In addition to feeding garbage disposals foods they cannot process, consumers frequently fail to follow operating instructions. Do not overload the disposal with large amounts of garbage. Put the materials in a little bit at a time to prevent clogging or burning out the motor. Never operate the disposal dry. Start running cold water in the sink before turning on the disposal and keep it flowing for at least a minute after you turn off the unit to clear the pipes and blades from all residue.

Maintenance and Repair

• To keep the garbage disposal blades sharp and clean, occasionally grind ice cubes in the unit. Lemon peels are also good for the disposal as their acidity cleans grease and debris from the appliance blades and surrounding pipes. If your disposal stops working, let it cool down, press the red reset button on the processing unit underneath the sink and try it again. After disengaging the power to the unit, use tongs to remove visible obstructions. Many models include a special Allen wrench-type tool to manually turn the blades and remove minor clogs.