Tureks Plumbing Services Blog: Posts Tagged ‘garbage disposal’

Tips For a Clean Garbage Disposal

Thursday, November 15th, 2018

Tips For a Clean Garbage Disposal

Five Simple Tips For a Clean Garbage Disposal

The garbage disposal is one of the most underrated home appliances in the kitchen. Not only does it allow you to get rid of food scrap, but it also does so in an efficient manner. As helpful as it is, it can also become a headache if you don’t take proper care of it. Our drain experts at Tureks Plumbing Services has 5 tips for you that will help keep your garbage disposal clean.

1. Cleaning the disposal

Cleaning a garbage disposal is fairly easy, which is why it’s puzzling why people don’t do it. You don’t have to do it every day, even once a week will work. The best part is, it barely requires any effort or time. All you have to do is grab a few ice cubes from your freezer, drop them in the disposal, and turn it on. By a few, we don’t mean fill up the disposal with ice cubes but throw in around 6-7 cubes, more if your disposal is bigger. You want to leave the disposal on until you can no longer hear the ice grinding.

The ice works its charm in cleaning the disposal of grease left behind from the food. The ice congeals any grease present and then the disposal easily breaks it up.

2. Deodorizing the disposal

The disposal is constantly exposed to food scraps and what not. In due time it will start to smell, stinking up the sink area. You should deodorize immediately after cleaning it. Deodorizing is as easy as cleaning it. You can take either lemon or orange peels and slowly grind them in the disposal. If you would rather not use peels, you can also pour lemon juice in the disposal. This refreshes it with a citrus smell and also helps fight grease build up inside.

3. Unclog the disposal

There will come a time when you end up disposing of something that you shouldn’t have and the disposal clogs. Before you call in the professionals, you can save a few bucks and try to fix it on your own. You want to start off by unplugging the disposal. If you don’t know how to do that, just shut the breaker to the disposal off, you don’t want an accident by taking any risk with it.

Next, you need to grab a broom and put the handle side inside the disposal. You will find an impeller, push against it until the chamber turns. If you can dislodge the item or just reach in and grab it. If you have any trouble, don’t panic. You can call a Fox Valley plumbing company to come and unclog the disposal.

4. Fighting Tough Grease

If cleaning the disposal with ice cubes and lemon/orange peel isn’t enough to get rid of the grease then you can try flushing it with cold water. Most people make the assumption that hot water would work better, but it doesn’t. The cold water will solidify the grease making it easier to flush. Rather than flushing it down the pipe, which can mean it gets stuck in the pipe, you can flush it into a can and dispose of it.

5. Maintaining the disposal

One simple trick to maintain the disposal so it doesn’t grease or clog is to let the water run through it after you’ve used it. This ensures that no food particle or grease sticks around to cause any problems later on. Whatever you do, do not use any corrosive chemicals like drain cleaners in the disposal cause these cause more harm than good.

Maintaining and keeping your garbage disposal installation clean is important for it to function well. The methods listed in our tips barely take any time so you should easily be able to do it once a week. Otherwise, you may end up damaging it and having to pay quite a lot for repairs and proper cleaning from an expert.

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Common Garbage Disposal Issues

Friday, November 18th, 2016

Common Garbage Disposal Issues (And What You Can Do About These)

Most people pay little attention to their garbage disposal systems despite the convenience these provide us. Until the garbage disposal unit acts up and needs repair that is. Just imagine how your cooking and cleanup routines are put in disarray with just one day without the garbage disposal unit.

This is why it is important to learn how to properly use and care for your garbage disposal. Experts recommend cutting or breaking up large chunks of food into smaller pieces.  Avoid throwing non-food items, hard foods and oil. Fats and grease are also a main source of clogged garbage disposals.

It is important for homeowners to look for common garbage disposal issues which can lead to bigger problems when left unchecked. What are these common issues?

Bad smells coming from my sink

As you continue to use your garbage disposal on a daily basis, food and liquids can leave residues. This happens especially in the drain and the main unit itself. In turn, these residues may give off a bad odor. The simplest solution to this problem is to pour a solution made of baking soda and vinegar down the drain. However, if the bad smell persists, it is best to call in your local plumber to solve this problem for you.

Build-up of oils, fats, and grease

One of the biggest mistakes property owners make is to pour oils, grease and fatty food into the garbage disposal system. Over time, these liquids can solidify and build up in the pipes of the actual garbage disposal system. As much as possible, avoid throwing these into the garbage disposal unit. Instead, use a separate receptacle for these. If the garbage disposal seems to work sluggishly due to the build-up of these materials, you can pour hot water to break these up.

Motor failure

Your garbage disposal has a definite lifespan. However, bad practices can significantly shorten this. In particular, its motor can be vulnerable to a host of garbage disposal issues, including overheating, which often arises due to throwing items that the garbage disposal system was not designed to handle.

If the motor seems to be not working, you can look for the reset button and press it. Sometimes, this will solve your woes. In case the motor does not work despite resetting, call in a Fox Cities Plumber. A simple repair could get the job done. In other cases, your garbage disposal system may need a replacement.

Leaks

Leaks can arise from different areas in the system. If the leak seems to come from the drain pipe, a simple replacement of the rubber gasket will solve the problem. If the system has been newly installed, you need to check the ring found near the sink flange. It is important to ensure that the ring is tight. However, if the leak seems to be coming from the body of the unit itself, it may be time to get a new one.

Noises

Most noises occur when a hard foreign object finds its way into the disposal system. If the foreign object does not get jammed, it will eventually go down the drain.

Sometimes, the disposal unit can become noisy when its parts become loose. You simply have to tighten these up. There are also instances wherein the unit’s lugs and blades have become worn down due to overuse. Some models allow you to replace these; however, in most instances, this is a sign that you need to invest in a new one. 

If your garbage disposal issues match some of the above listed problems give us a call. We are located in Appleton and have service trucks available to surrounding Fox City and Oshkosh residents.

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