The garbage disposal Trusted Source Garbage disposal unit - Wikipedia A garbage disposal unit is a device, usually electrically powered, installed under a kitchen sink between the sink’s drain and the trap. en.wikipedia.org has become one of the most important fixtures in any kitchen. Invented by John Hammes back in 1927, this machine has remained consistent in terms of design while growing in popularity. In this post, we will consider how a garbage disposal works. We will also discuss a question that many readers have asked – should you put egg shells in a garbage disposal?
There are many things to keep in mind concerning the care and management of your garbage disposal unit. This involves what you put into it. Therefore, you should not put stuff that can end up causing damage to the unit. In this post, we will consider some things that you should avoid putting down the disposal. All of this and more will be considered in this article.
Before we walk on eggshells, so to speak, we will begin by considering how a typical garbage disposal works.
A garbage disposal is an excellent machine that is installed to the bottom of a sink with the primary goal of collecting solid food waste and passing it through a grinding chamber.
When you switch on this appliance, an impeller plate or spinning disc, depending on the model, spins quickly, forcing the waste on the outer wall of the grinding chamber. This action completely grinds up the food, and it is then passed to your sewage by water.
Unlike what many assume, this machine does not have sharp blades.
Putting eggshells in a garbage disposal is something that many people wonder about. Some say that the shells can help to sharpen the blades of the disposal. However, as we have pointed out earlier in the introduction, the blades of the garbage disposal are not designed to be sharp.
With that in mind, others propose that putting eggshells in the disposal will keep your grinders and the plumbing system clean. In this post, we will see whether that is true or not.
In this section, we consider what the proponents of adding eggshells to the disposal say.
There is truth in the opinion that eggshells are sharp and abrasive. You might have inadvertently cut yourself on eggshells.
With that in mind, some say that there is nothing wrong in throwing some shells down the disposal and grind them up. According to them, the advantage of doing this is that the abrasive nature of the shells will help to purify the grinding mechanism of the waste disposal.
While these shells are not strong enough to sharpen the grinders of the mechanism, it is reportedly able to help these grinders remove food build-up, which will help your machine work more efficiently. The InSinkErator garbage disposal’s manual states that you should not grind large amounts of eggshells in the machine.
There are two schools of thought. While some say that it is beneficial to toss some eggshells down the disposal, other experts do not agree. Why?
Well, there are two reasons why they are not enamored with the idea. First, the membrane on the inside of the shells can cause problems. They are sticky and can stick to the grinders. This will therefore affect the effectiveness of removing waste from the mechanism as time passes.
The other disadvantage is that eggshells might build up in the pipes, leading to blockages.
Of these two schools of thought, which do we agree with? We do not recommend using eggshells to clean the garbage disposal.
The consensus is that eggshells are not good for your garbage disposal. If these cannot help with cleaning your disposal, what choice do you have? Well, there are better options available.
While eggshells are unlikely to help with cleaning your waste disposal, other options have been proven to actually help with keeping your waste disposal clean.
One cleaner is ice. Ice is an excellent option for cleaning your machine. It will keep your grinder clean even as it reduces the chances of clogs or build-up in the pipes. How can you use it? It’s rather easy.
First, drop a cup of ice cubes into the waste disposal and switch it on. The cubes in the disposal will work with the grinders to remove any debris on them, then they melt and flush away any debris left in the pipes.
Apart from ice cubes, citrus peels have also been recommended as a way of keeping your waste disposal clean. Now the peels will not make the blades of the machine any sharper, but they can help to remove debris. Furthermore, when ground up in the grinder, it leaves an interesting, pleasant scent. Thus, if you have the problem of smelly garbage disposal, citrus peels are a natural and effective way of dealing with it without causing any damage to the system or pipes.
Apart from eggshells, there are certain things that you should also avoid throwing down your garbage disposal.
Although these are liquid, they can cause problems in your waste disposal. If you pour a considerable amount of oil down the disposal, it can later thicken and cause blockage in your drain. You should also avoid pouring grease from your food down the drain.
Many plumbers have also said that you should avoid throwing coffee grounds down the drain. Coffee grounds are one of the worst offenders when it comes to drain blockage. It not only causes clogging but will result in drains that smell like old coffee.
Surprisingly, pasta is another thing that shouldn’t be passed to the garbage disposal. Why? As you know, pasta swells when exposed to water. Therefore, pouring it down the drain results in it swelling and causing a blockage in the pipes.
Apart from these natural solutions, you can also use an excellent cleaner like the Affresh Garbage disposal cleaner.
So, should you throw eggs shells in a garbage disposal? While some argue that it helps with cleaning the disposal, the proof is inconclusive. It is better to be safe than sorry, which is why we do not recommend that you do it. Instead of using eggshells to clean your garbage disposal, you can use other stuff like ice cubes and citrus peel.
