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Let’s talk about what shouldn’t go down the garbage disposal. Also a free printable cheat sheet of what you can and can’t put down your garbage disposal.
Garbage disposals aren’t glamorous to talk about but let’s face it I never want to have a kitchen without one. While I was renovating my kitchen Moen was kind enough to send me a garbage disposal for my new farmhouse sink. I was super excited about this because my current garbage disposal wasn’t in the best shape. It was a combination of the old owners and user error on my behalf. Mainly coffee grounds. I had no idea that coffee grounds were bad for garbage disposals. Coffee grounds can build up in the drain pipes and eventually clog your pipes.
I’ve decided to gather some research as to what to put down your garbage disposal and what not to put down your garbage disposal. In no way am I an expert but these are just suggestions and what I have learned throughout the years.
What shouldn’t go in a garbage disposal
- Grease
- Coffee Grounds
- Egg Shells
- Bones
- Vegetable Peels
- Pasta or Rice
- Oil
- Stringy and fibrous vegetables
- Pits or Seeds
- Any Non Food Items
What’s ok to go down the garbage disposal?
- Cooked Meats
- Citrus (lemons are my trick to fight smell)
- Bread
- Cooked Veggies
- Fruit (without pits and seeds)
- Small Food Scraps (table scraps)
- Liquids
- Ice Cubes
- Cold Water (run cold water before/during/after use)
Now when Moen came to me I did not really know the difference between garbage disposals. Did you know the higher the horsepower the wider the variety of food it can grind? The Vortex motor allows to disposal to immediately operate at full speed. Moen disposals have a magnet motor that helps reduce jamming.
View Moens full Garbage Disposal line here.
I’ve created a quick reference sheet or cheat sheet of what can and can’t go down the disposal. Click the link below to download this garbage disposal cheet sheet to hang on your fridge.
Well, you learn something new everyday! I didn’t know that vegetable peels should not go down a garbage disposal!! I typically compost them anyway, but I promise i’ve put my fair share of peelings down there…feeling a bit sorry for making the poor thing work so hard.
Thanks for the info sheet.
With vegetable peels it’s because of the sheer volume of peels when you peel potatoes for the family. It can tend to clog your pipes and jam up the motor.
Ok, I totally needed this! I had no idea what not to put down the garbage disposal!
I had no idea with my first disposal and learned the hard way!
I really wanted a garbage disposal when we re-did the kitchen, but time and budget was tight. It is definitely on my list to get one soon!
I hope you get that garbage disposal! I will say when you do purchase one make sure to look at the horsepower!
Thanks for these great tips. I really need to be more careful what I put in our disposal!
Anytime! Who knew you couldn’t put coffee grinds down the disposal. I learned my lesson.
We just purchased this sink and are looking for a disposal. Did you have any issues connecting it? And any issues afterwards? I’ve read some horror stories about the disposal causing this sink to crack and just wondered! Thanks!
No issue at all. My dad and I installed it with no problems.
A garbage disposal is a machine that is primarily used to shred food waste into super small pieces that won’t clog pipes. It’s smart to run your disposal regularly and to keep it clean.
And it’s important to always run your disposal with running cold water, which solidifies any grease or oils so they can be ground too. Basically, the smartest rule of garbage disposal usage doesn’t grind if it isn’t biodegradable.