Garbage Disposal Do's and Don'ts

A disposal grinds food into small particles that are carried away with water. It does not dissolve anything. Everything that goes in still travels through the kitchen branch, the building drain and the lateral.

Run cold water before, during and for several seconds after grinding. Cold water keeps fats solid so they are chopped up rather than coating the pipe.

Fats, oils and grease cool and stick to pipe walls downstream. Pour cooled grease into a lidded can and put it in the trash.

Rice, pasta and potato peels swell and form a paste. Celery, corn husks and onion skins wrap around blades and catch in pipes. Put them in the green bin instead.

Both settle into a dense sludge in pipes, especially on flatter runs. They belong in compost or the trash.

Small amounts at a time with plenty of water grind more completely and travel farther.

A kitchen sink that slows, gurgles or smells is an early warning. Clearing it early is cheaper than waiting. See clogged drain repair.

In older San Bruno homes, the kitchen line may run a long way under the house before reaching the lateral. Food and grease have more distance to settle, so good habits matter more.

Small pieces of citrus peel can freshen the disposal. Keep them small and run plenty of cold water.

Hard items can jam or damage the disposal and may not grind fully. Put them in the trash or green bin.

A sink strainer catches food that would otherwise go down the drain when the disposal is not running.

Holidays bring more cooking and more strain on kitchen drains. Scrape plates, can the grease and avoid overloading the disposal on busy days.

If the disposal hums but the sink will not drain, or water backs up into the other sink basin, the clog is likely in the branch line past the disposal. A provider can clear it.

Food waste from a disposal travels all the way to the city main. In an older clay lateral, small particles can settle at offsets and sags and mix with grease, building up over time. Using the disposal lightly and running plenty of water reduces that buildup.

Many Peninsula cities collect food scraps in green bins. Putting scraps there instead of down the disposal is better for your pipes and the treatment plant.

Run the disposal regularly with cold water, avoid harsh chemicals and check for leaks under the sink. If it jams, turn off power before trying to free it.

If the kitchen sink is slow or backed up, a local provider can clear it. Call (650) 360-4973.

Products labeled for disposals or septic systems still do not make grease or fibrous foods safe for older pipes. Habits matter more than products.

Post a short list near the sink: no grease, no peels, no coffee grounds, cold water always. Habits stick when the right choice is easy.

The disposal is a convenience, not a trash can. Treat it that way and your kitchen line will thank you.

If the kitchen sink is slow or backed up, a provider can clear and, if needed, jet the line. Calls to (650) 360-4973 are answered 24 hours a day by independent local providers, who explain the likely cause and how the price is set before any work starts. You decide whether to go ahead.

Older kitchens often have long, flat drain runs under the house before reaching the lateral. Food from the disposal has more room to settle there, especially when mixed with grease. Using the disposal lightly and running plenty of cold water helps.

Children like to put things down the disposal. Teach them what is allowed and keep utensils, toys and bottle caps away from the sink. A single jam can mean a service call.

Once a week, fill the sink with a few inches of cold water and let it drain through the running disposal. The extra flow helps carry small particles all the way to the lateral instead of letting them settle.

Use the disposal for small scraps, not as a trash can. Your kitchen line and lateral will last longer. If a drain is backing up now, call (650) 360-4973 to reach a local San Bruno provider.