Common Garbage Disposal Mistakes You Need to Stop Making

Your kitchen garbage disposal is a tough appliance, but it is not invincible. Plumbers are called out daily to fix jammed disposals and severely clogged kitchen sinks caused by simple, preventable mistakes. Protect your plumbing by avoiding these common errors.

1. Not Using Enough Water

A garbage disposal needs a heavy flow of cold water to function properly. The water flushes the ground-up food particles through the grinding chamber and pushes them safely down the drain pipes. Pro Tip: Always turn on the cold water *before* turning on the disposal, and let the water run for a full 10 seconds *after* you turn the disposal off to ensure the pipes are clear.

2. Using Hot Water While Grinding

Hot water melts fats and grease. If you run hot water while grinding greasy food, the fat turns to liquid, washes past the disposal, and immediately solidifies as it hits the cooler pipes further down the line, causing massive clogs. Always use cold water, which keeps fats solid so they can be ground up and flushed away.

3. Grinding the Wrong Foods

Never put fibrous or starchy foods down the disposal. Celery, corn husks, and artichokes have stringy fibers that wrap around the impellers and burn out the motor. Pasta and rice expand massively when wet, turning into a thick paste that completely blocks the P-trap.

What to Do If It Jams

If you turn on the switch and hear a low humming noise but the blades aren't spinning, turn it off immediately to save the motor! The impellers are physically blocked. Never put your hand down the drain. Call the experts at Pipedex Plumbing & Drains—we can safely extract the blockage and reset the internal breaker for you.