Garbage Disposal Units Help to Dispose of Food Waste

During the preparation of food and subsequent cleaning after you have eaten, the kitchen does produce a substantial quantity of waste that needs to be safely disposed of. This is where garbage disposal units that were invented in 1927, have become the workhorse of kitchens, that take care of disposing of food waste easily and efficiently.

Garbage disposal units are mounted under a sink and collect the solid food waste in a chamber that is used for grinding. Once the disposal unit is turned on, a spinning disc in this chamber forces the waste against the outer walls of the chamber and pulverize it into small bits, that then get easily washed out by water through a waste line connector. The impeller plates of this spinning disc are blunt and not sharp.

Garbage disposal is not meant to function as a garbage can and is not suitable for all food scraps and liquids. You must avoid putting hard objects, fibrous food scraps like potato peels, oil, and grease. These units can get jammed, and you need to fix this, as a jammed disposal unit can have its motor burn out if it is started repeatedly.

Clogging of disposal is often a result of hard to grind food, or trying to dispose of food or other items that are not meant to go through these units. Not using enough water to flush the disposal unit while it is grinding can lead to it getting clogged. Use plenty of water while it is grinding, and continue this for at least 30 seconds after the grinding is finished. Grinding up the lemon peel and ice cubes can also help to maintain a garbage disposal. Every disposal unit has a drain trap that is P or S-shaped and has a nut at the bottom that can be unscrewed.

Unscrewing this will help to clear the clog. Use a brush to dislodge persistent obstructions. If there is no obstruction here, the problems are probably in the drainpipe that must be cleared with a sink auger.

Garbage disposal units break up food waste particles and flush them down the drain, and hence remain relatively clean. However, over time, a slime can build up in the chamber, on the drain opening, rubber baffle and sloped area at the top of the grinding chamber. This must be cleaned once a week to keep the disposal clean and free of any odors or smells. Turn off the power when you are doing any cleaning. The use of baking soda and vinegar acts as a cleaner for the disposal and also helps to clean out the grinding chamber.

Garbage disposals save you the trouble of scraping of food from dishes before you put them in the dishwasher. Food will also not clog your drain when you remove excess from the dishes. They are relatively simple devices. You can buy a unit that needs you to fit a stopper lid on the mouth of the unit, before turning it on. This can help to prevent accidents and mishaps. These units are a little more expensive than the standard ones.