You’ll make some New Year’s resolutions to better your life as you get closer to 2024. You may also want to make some resolutions to protect your garbage disposal throughout the new year. Following these tips will keep your garbage disposal running smoothly and lower the costs of repairs.

Run the Disposal Regularly

Run your garbage disposal a few times a week, even if you don’t have food waste. The movement keeps your disposal clean and lubricated. Plus, adding ice cubes can sharpen the blades. Not running your disposal a few times a week can lead to foul odors and clogged drains.

Use Cold Water in the Disposal

Use cold water to harden fats whenever you use your garbage disposal. Cold water saves on energy usage and keeps your blades sharp while allowing the grinders to crush food waste efficiently. Never use anything above warm water because hot water melts fats and grease, which can stick to the pipes.

Cut Food Into Smaller Pieces

Cut waste into pea-sized pieces, even when the food can go into your garbage disposal. Your disposal can grind and drain small food waste quicker while whole foods can jam its components. Small pieces of food waste prevent clogs and allow your disposal to use less energy.

Avoid Products That Damage the Disposal

One of your New Year’s resolutions should be to watch what goes into your garbage disposal. Food waste that can damage your disposal or pipes includes banana skins, broccoli, potato peels, bones, and fat. Eggshells and coffee won’t damage your disposal but often contribute to clogs.

Keep harsh cleaning chemicals away from your garbage disposal while watching what food waste enters. Cleaners can help unclog the drains, but some chemicals can damage disposals with regular use. Sometimes, a chemical cleaner can cling to the blades of your disposal and fling out the next time you use it.

Clean the Disposal About Every Two Weeks

Remove any food waste you can every two weeks, give or take, and use rock salt and ice to clean your disposal blades. These naturally abrasive materials will remove stuck food waste and grease from the components and pipes. You can also pour a cup of vinegar and a half-cup of baking soda into your disposal to allow a chemical reaction that will remove food remnants and kill bacteria.

Use a Citrus Freshener

Coffee grounds neutralize odors but can create clogs in your plumbing. Slowly feed warm water and cut up citrus fruit into your garbage disposal to freshen your plumbing. The antibacterial properties of citrus fruits will clean the entire way through your pipes.

Your garbage disposal accumulates wear and tear just like any other appliance. Proper maintenance can keep your disposal running well into the new year. If you need help with garbage disposals in Antioch, CA, call us at Almighty Plumbing to schedule our services today.