When was the last time you thought about the things that you’re putting into your drains? Chances are it’s been a while, right? Most people don’t even think about it because they assume their garbage disposal is capable of taking care of anything. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Your garbage disposal is meant to take care of only a minimal amount of things and anything other than that leads to some serious plumbing service needs. That’s why you need to know what you should be doing in your St. Paul, MN home.
Coffee Grounds
You might not think that coffee grounds are such an important thing to avoid in your drains but they absolutely are. In fact, coffee grounds can be extremely problematic because they tend to stick to everything on the way down. They can coat the inside of your drain, they can stick to each other and cause clumps and they can absolutely cause clogs. They also absorb water and that means they can continue to expand over time until you have a serious problem on your hands and a big need for plumbing service.
Corn Husks
Corn husks or anything else that’s stringy can be a problem in your garbage disposal. If it makes it into your drain it could stick to the pipes, but for the most part these things aren’t even going to get that far. They can wrap around the garbage disposal and the blades, getting clogged and even causing serious damage to the disposal. That’s going to require some serious plumbing service because you’ll need a professional to take everything apart and get the corn husk or other stringy items out of the disposal safely.
Bones
Any kind of bones are going to cause damage to your garbage disposal. Whether they’re small and you think they’ll slip right through the drain or larger ones, it doesn’t matter. Bones are extremely hard and even after they’ve been cooked and they’re softened somewhat they’re too hard for your disposal. They can also cause the disposal to get clogged, which is the same for nuts and seeds that you put down into the disposal. They become jammed between the blades or get stuck on the blades and you need professional plumbing service.
Rice or Pasta
These two items may seem very innocuous as well. After all, they’re both soft, right? But both of these are designed to absorb water, which means they can be a big problem if you put them into your drains. They can get stuck and then cause clogs as they stick to each other. Even worse, they continue to absorb more and more water as you try to rinse them down. That means they cause serious clogs and continue to expand. Before you know it you have a big clog and a big mess to clean up just because of what seemed like a few noodles or a handful of rice.
Eggs
The problem with eggs is actually the membrane on the inside of the shell. This can peel away from the shell itself and if it gets stuck on your disposal blades it can cause you a whole lot of hassle. You don’t want to have to deal with that mess because it means your disposal blades aren’t going to be sharp or capable of getting through anything. Plus, that membrane from your eggs isn’t going to smell so good after a while. You’ll need a professional plumbing service to come clean things up for you and clear out your drain.
Grease and Oil
These two things are very serious because they can damage the inside of your drains and they can absolutely cause serious clogs. If you put either of these into your drain you’re going to need plumbing service because they cause a whole lot of problems. They seem like no big deal because they’re liquid when you put them in. But these two things cool very quickly and as soon as they cool they turn into a sticky and solid mass that gets stuck in your drain and start to clog up over time, making a bigger and bigger mess.
Ice Cubes
Okay, so this one isn’t a 100% avoid, but it’s important to be careful about them. Using ice cubes once in a while can actually help your garbage disposal smell better. If you’re doing it too frequently, however, it can actually cause problems for your blades. You want to be very careful about how often you’re putting ice cubes into your disposal so you can make sure that you’re going to keep everything working the way it should. You definitely don’t want to have to call for professional plumbing service because of a few ice cubes, right?
Chemical Cleaners
This is one that we all think we can use in our disposal but the truth is that you absolutely shouldn’t. These chemical cleaners can cause some very serious harm to your pipes and everything else they come in contact with on the way through. The chemicals are intended to break up clogs, but the truth is that they’re not really even doing that well. They’re just pushing those clogs further in and then wreaking havoc on everything else, like the bacteria that make your septic system run.
When it comes to getting help with any type of plumbing service you want to be sure you know who to call. Paul Bunyan Plumbing & Drains of St. Paul, MN can help you with anything that you might need. All you need to do is give us a call and we can schedule anything you need in no time at all. We have the team you’re looking for to take care of any plumbing service in St. Paul, MN. Whether it’s something minor or a major emergency that you need taken care of right away, our team is ready and able to help you. Just pick up the phone and give us a call to get started.
