How to Maintain Your Garbage Disposal and Avoid Costly Clogs

Your garbage disposal is one of the hardest-working appliances in your kitchen. It grinds up food scraps, helps prevent foul odors, and keeps your sink draining smoothly. But like any appliance, it needs a little care to keep running efficiently. Without proper maintenance, garbage disposals can clog, jam, or even break down—leading to frustrating (and often expensive) plumbing problems.

Here’s how you can maintain your garbage disposal and avoid those costly clogs.

🥦 1. Watch What You Put Down the Disposal

Not everything belongs in your garbage disposal. Grease, oil, and fats solidify inside your pipes, while fibrous foods like celery, corn husks, or potato peels can wrap around the blades and cause jams. Large bones, fruit pits, or coffee grounds should also stay out of your sink.

Pro tip: Think of your disposal as a helper for small, soft scraps—not a substitute for your trash can.

💧 2. Run Plenty of Water

Always run cold water before, during, and after using your disposal. The water helps carry food particles through the pipes and keeps things moving. Cold water also helps solidify any grease, making it easier for the blades to chop it up and flush it out instead of letting it coat your pipes.

🧽 3. Clean It Regularly

A dirty disposal can lead to bad odors and sluggish performance. You can freshen it by:

• Grinding up a few ice cubes to knock away debris.

• Running lemon or orange peels through for a natural deodorizer.

• Sprinkling a little baking soda down the drain, followed by vinegar, to loosen buildup.

Avoid harsh chemical drain cleaners—they can damage both your disposal and your pipes.

🔧 4. Use It Frequently

Believe it or not, your garbage disposal lasts longer if you use it regularly. Running it helps prevent rust, clears out small debris, and keeps the moving parts from seizing up. Even if you don’t have food scraps to grind, run the disposal with water for a few seconds every few days.

🚫 5. Don’t Overload It

Trying to shove too much food down at once is a recipe for clogs. Feed scraps gradually into the disposal while it’s running with water. This gives the blades time to grind efficiently and keeps your pipes clear.

✅ Keep Your Disposal Running Smoothly

Taking just a few minutes each week to care for your garbage disposal can save you from messy backups and expensive plumbing repairs. But if you do run into clogs, persistent odors, or a disposal that just won’t run, it’s time to call in the experts.

At The Lindi Corp, we’ve been helping Mesquite homeowners keep their plumbing systems in top shape. Whether it’s a quick fix or a full replacement, our team is ready to help.

Contact us today to schedule your plumbing service and keep your kitchen running smoothly.