Maintaining a Disposer

Published on Monday, 16 January 2012 22:03

Written by The Editors

Disposers are low maintenance systems, but inundating disposers with hard food matter and misuse can lead to significant problems.

Although disposers require minimal maintenance, proper use will lengthen the system's service life.

There are a number of factors to consider in the use and maintenance of disposers.

• Fat, oil and grease should not be disposed of in these systems.
• Batch feeding food waste into disposers blocks water, resulting in drain line clogs. For clogs, fill a five-gallon bucket with cold water and run it through the disposer to push waste through.
• After feeding product through the disposer, allow cold water to run for 10 to 20 seconds to ensure small particles are pushed to the main sewer line.
• Keep plastics, silverware, straws and other non-food items away from the disposer to minimize jams.
• Always use cold water to flush waste, as hot water can melt fat and allow it to solidify and block the drain line.

Although disposers will grind almost anything, certain waste, such as oyster shells, can build up in the drain line and shouldn't be regularly disposed of in these systems. Also, high concentrations of fibrous materials, such as corn husks, can potentially cause clogs over a period of time.

It's important to keep in mind that a disposer does not replace a dumpster and should never be used with dry waste.

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