It's Not a Garbage Disposal!
Please remember that Garbage or Food Disposals are made for biodegradable food only. This is important for two reasons: First, the Garbage Disposal itself is designed for food only and it can easily jam if it's not used properly. Second and more important, everything that flushes through the drain pipes ends up in the wastewater system, 99% of it is then processed into sewage sludge. Sewage sludge is often used as a fertilizer, which ends up in our gardens and farms. That's why it is very important to only flush biodegradable food, otherwise we risk contaminating the lands with chemicals, pharmaceuticals, or other toxins.Always make sure to run cold water until all the food is flushed out.
What to Avoid
If the Garbage Disposal malfunctions make sure you turn it off before attempting anything. After turning the switch "OFF" you can use Pliers or Tongs to attempt to remove any food that might be jamming it. Also, take note that sometimes when jammed, the Garbage Disposal Overload Protector can trip, make sure the switch is "OFF" and press the 'red(or black) button' underneath the Disposal, then try it again (applies to most models). Some Garbage Disposal come with an Alan wrench that you can use to hand-crank it free when it's jammed. Look underneath for a hole shaped the same as the Alan wrench.Foods to Avoid - There is a number of biodegradables you need to avoid putting in your Garbage Disposal.
a. Grease, Fats, Oils - Can stick inside the Garbage Disposal and drain pipes, as they harden when cooled, they can clog the drain and also cause odor over time.
b. Starchy or Expandable Foods - Foods like rice, pasta, corn or other grains can expand and when disposed in large amounts can clog up drain pipes. Also the starch contained within these type of foods can build up in the Garbage Disposal and drain pipes. If you decide to dispose those foods anyway, make sure its in small quantities and you do it while running cold water.
c. Fibrous foods - e.g. egg shells, celery, asparagus, banana peels, potato peels. Fibers tend to tangle around the blades and they can jam the motor. Also they can expand with moisture risking clogging the drain. Although not recommended, you might get away disposing these kind of foods by chopping them in small peaces and putting small amounts at a time while running cold water.
d. Seeds - e.g. Coffee, Nuts. Can build up in the garbage disposal and drain pipes, causing clog.
e. Bleach - Do not use bleach to clean your Garbage Disposal. It will cause grease to harden and it's very corrosive.
Cleaning
For sanitary reasons and in order to prevent drain pipes and Garbage Disposal from clogging up, it is very important to clean it periodically. There is a lot of easy ways to clean your Garbage Disposal, so you can pick one that's easy and right for you. Easiest way is to clean it with ice cubes twice a week. You can add 1 cup of vinegar to kill odor causing bacteria, or add some citrus peels or oil for a fresh scent. You can also make vinegar ice cubes to have your homemade Garbage Disposal cleaning solution. For more serious cleaning, you can put 1/2 cup of baking soda into the Garbage Disposal, then carefully add 1 cup of vinegar and use the sink stopper to seal it until the fuzzing has stopped. After about five minutes, run some hot or boiling water through until everything is flushed out.