Garbage Disposal Operation

Dear Residents,

The Proper Care and Use of a Garbage Disposal & Drains in General-
In Your Kitchen, Bathrooms and on the 4th Floor Terrace

Now, in case you don’t already know, here’s the proper way to use a disposal:
▪ Scrape clean your plate into the trashcan before rinsing any food residue (less than the size of a dime) into the disposal.
▪ Turn on the cold water – not hot. Cold water keeps the motor, bearings and shredder assembly from overheating.
▪ Turn on the garbage disposal.
▪ Feed the disposal a little at a time. Keep utensils and your hands out of the drain.
▪ Let the food clear the disposal – you can hear when it’s clear.
▪ Turn the disposal off.
▪ Let the water run 10 seconds more to flush the pipe.

▪ Turn the water off.

Not everything can be safely put in the garbage disposal. Here is a list of items you shouldn’t put in your disposal:
▪ Grease – Pour excess grease into an old metal can. After the grease has cooled and solidified throw the can and the grease into the trash.
▪ Bones – Any type of bone can jam a disposal, even chicken bones.
▪ Rice or pasta – No matter how much water you run or how long you run the disposal, you can never break rice or pasta down small enough. Both items swell when they are in contact with water, so the small pieces will eventually gather in the trap and swell until it’s closed.
▪ Hard shells from shrimp, crabs and other shellfish
▪ Unpopped popcorn kernels
▪ Banana peels
▪ Celery
▪ Potato peelings
▪ Corn husk or corn cobs
▪ Artichokes
▪ Coffee grounds (in quantity) or coffee filters
▪ Fruit pits and hard seeds from things like avocados or peaches
▪ Onion skins
▪ Egg shells – they turn into a sand-like substance that clogs pipes
▪ Trash, including twist ties, steel wool, pull tabs, rubber bands, glass, screws, nails, utensils, cigarette butts or bottle caps, paper, plastic, or other trash, fabric, string, rags, or sponges, plant or flower clippings,children’s toys, hair
▪ Harsh chemicals like bleach or drain cleaners. They can damage blades and pipes. Borax is a natural sink cleaner and sanitizer that effectively works on odor-causing mold and mildew that accumulates in garbage disposals. (See more below).

10 Things You Shouldn’t Flush Down a Toilet or Wash Down a Drain

1)Flushable Baby Wipes or Towelettes 2) Grease 3)Condoms 4)Dental Floss 5)Hair 6)Cat Liter 7)Cotton Swabs & Cotton Balls 8)Food 9)Cigarette butts 10)Bottle caps, plastic or metal materials of any kind