If you are just getting into cooking (or even if you are not), it’s important to know that just because you have a garbage disposal doesn’t mean you should use it. There are certain things you should never put down your garbage disposal. Even if you live in an apartment and aren’t thinking about long-term damage to the plumbing, many of these items will cause a clog that will ruin your day (or dinner party). A few years ago, while getting ready for a party, we put a ton of eggshells down the drain (we were making pasta with eggs). We didn’t realize that you shouldn’t put eggshells down the disposal (the membranes can wrap around the blades). A plumber was called and thankfully we were still able to get dinner on the table just in time for our friends to join us.
We’ve learned the hard way a few times, so instead of hearing this from the plumber, we wanted to share with you what not to put down your garbage disposal. Some you might know already, but a few of these might be surprising.
- Used Oil
- Coffee Grounds
- Egg Shells
- Onion peels
- Bones
- Pits (cherry pits, peach pits, avocado pits)
- Artichoke Leaves
- Potato Peels
- Shrimp Peels and seafood shells
- Corn Husks
One thing we always recommend putting down the garbage disposal – citrus scraps to freshen it up!