Stop Using Your Garbage Disposal Like a Trash Can

By Geoffrey Sperring

May 12, 2025

You're expecting guests for dinner and, in the middle of the prep work, your garbage disposal goes on the blink. You just used it like you always do while you're cooking! Potato peels, onion skins, avocado pits and a batch of cooked rice that didn't turn out quite right — nothing that would really hurt it. (Except that piece of paper towel that snuck in.) But i's a garbage disposal, after all. Right? Right?

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Many people take their garbage disposal for granted, assuming the powerful little beast can handle anything. This isn't true, and it's important to take note of these garbage disposal dos and don'ts.

These Foods Should Never Go Do Your Garbage Disposal

Certain foods aren't good for the garbage disposal unit because they can jam the device or cause blockages. Garbage disposal best practices include avoiding:

Fibrous vegetables: Steer clear of vegetables with long and sticky fibers, as these get wrapped around the blades. Examples include pumpkin, celery, rhubarb, banana peels and corn husks.
Water-absorbing foods: Don't dispose of foods that absorb water, such as pasta, oats, cereals and mashed potatoes. They swell and can block the drain. Be careful of potato peelings, as they also absorb water and turn into a sticky mess.
Eggshells: Avoid eggshells as they have a thin membrane lining that may block the drain.
Onion skins: The thin, wet outer layer of an onion tends to collect waste and block drains.
Pips, pits and seeds: If you can't cut pips or pits with a knife, don't drop them into the disposal. Few units are strong enough to grind up hard pips, pits or seeds, and these items may damage the blades and bearings.
Animal bones: Never put sheep, cow or pork bones into the garbage disposal as they're too hard. Most disposals can handle chicken and fish bones, although you should probably throw chicken thigh bones into the trash.
Nuts: Some nuts form a paste when ground, and this may clog the blades.
Coffee grounds: Old coffee grounds are a no-no because they form a dense, sticky mass that blocks drains.

Never Put Trash Down Your Garbage Disposal

Never put trash into a garbage disposal. Trash is bad for septic systems and not much better for municipal sewage disposal plants. It will damage the garbage disposal and can get wrapped around the blades. Never use your garbage disposal to get rid of:

Paper
Wrappers
Plastics
Chemicals
Paint
Drain cleaners

How to Use a Garbage Disposal Properly

As the unsung kitchen hero, your garbage disposal deserves special care and attention. Follow garbage disposal best practices to extend the life of the unit and make your life easier. Here are some helpful garbage disposal usage tips.

Break up large scraps of food. The garbage disposal works better if you feed it small scraps of food.
Use plenty of water. Run the faucet while using your garbage disposal. Keep the water running for a short time after switching the unit off. This helps flush waste out and down the drain pipe.
Don't overload the unit. Avoid feeding in too much waste at one time, especially with less powerful models.
Use cold water. Although there's debate on the use of hot or cold water, most experts say cold water keeps oily gunk solid and helps move it past the P-trap. Grinding solidified, cold fats will break them up into smaller pieces. Hot water may melt the gunk, allowing it to solidify and block the P-trap.
Run it often. Regular use keeps your garbage disposal clean and helps prevent the accumulation of food debris and minimize bad odors.

What Things Can Go Down a Garbage Disposal?

If you even have an inkling that a food will clog the disposal, toss it in the garbage can. But, generally, these things are fine to go down the disposal — albeit in moderate amounts while running cold water:

Soft foods like soups, cottage cheese, yogurt and leftover casserole. These are super easy for your disposal to dispose of.
Cooked meat or fish in small quantities, as long as it doesn't have bones.
Citrus rinds, like lemon, lime and orange peels. They can be ground up, and they'll freshen the disposal.
Fruit and vegetable scraps other than peels, like cutoffs, bruised berries and squishy tomatoes.
Ice cubes, which will sharpen your disposal's blades.

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How Do I Maintain My Garbage Disposal?

Always turn the garbage disposal off at the wall switch or disconnect the electrical supply before cleaning or working on the unit. Check the manual for specific instructions for caring for your garbage disposal. Following these garbage disposal dos and don'ts can help you extend the unit's life and avoid costly plumbing blockages.

Cleaning it often. Clean the disposal regularly, at least every two weeks. You can remove food waste from inside by running ice cubes and some rock salt through the unit. The ice scrubs the chamber, removing traces of food, and helps keep the blades sharp.
Scrub the splash guard. Clean the rubber splash guard with an old toothbrush. If possible, remove it before cleaning.
Freshen it up. Remove odors and keep the disposal smelling fresh by running slices of citrus fruit through. Don't remove the skins. The citric acid in the fruit kills foul smells. Alternatively, you may use a few unground coffee beans and plenty of water.
Remove blockages. If the garbage disposal gets jammed, don't use your fingers to clear the blockage to avoid the risk of injury. With the unit disconnected from the power supply, use thin-nosed pliers to try removing the obstruction. Alternatively, insert a hex key (usually provided with the unit) into the slot at the bottom of the housing to rotate the grinding plate.
Let it cool off. If the motor overheats, the unit will trip. Allow it to cool before resetting the red button, usually located at the bottom of the motor.
Look into leaks and continual problems. If the disposal leaks or you can't reset it or clear blockages, you should call a plumber experienced in repairing garbage disposal units.

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