FOOD NEWS
14 Food Scraps You Should Never Put Down The Garbage Disposal
BY AUDREY HICKEY
Eggshells
Though eggshells are tiny, they won’t break down very quickly in the drain and can accumulate in pipes over time, potentially clogging your plumbing system.
There’s also the membrane of the eggshell, which can become entangled in a garbage disposal's parts and may impede normal operations and create foul odors.
Corn Husks
Corn husk fibers tend to get tangled in the impeller of garbage disposals, which can cause the motor to jam. As for the stringy silk, it doesn’t always slip through.
Corn silk often forms knots that block pipes and result in backups. It’s best to dispose of corn husks in the trash or repurpose them in some capacity.
Meat
Keep raw meat away from your garbage disposal at all costs. The muscle fibers in raw meat may tangle and clog the mechanism.
When it comes to cooked meat, a few pieces down the sink is okay, but you'll still want to limit the amount that goes in since it can still strain the garbage disposal's motor.
Pasta
Long, slender pasta varieties, such as spaghetti or linguine, are prone to tangling around the inner mechanisms of garbage disposals, potentially jamming them.
It’s also possible the pasta won’t be properly broken up and strands will slide down the pipes. Over time, the pasta may expand due to water absorption and cause clogs.
Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds’ small size and already-crushed texture make them prone to building up and creating a troublesome sticky sludge in the pipes beneath your disposal.
This sludge can lead to clogs and unnecessary repair costs, so it’s best to toss your coffee grounds in the garbage or repurpose the grounds somehow.