Where Does Garbage Disposal Go? Find Out!

Where Does Garbage Disposal Go

The garbage disposal is a common kitchen gadget that shreds food into tiny bits that may be disposed of down kitchen sink drains. It’s normally electric and installed just under a kitchen sink’s drain. Garbage disposals are beneficial because they eliminate smells in kitchens and lessen the likelihood of blocked drains.

Homeowners use garbage disposals to smash food into tiny pieces which are small enough to travel through a home’s plumbing system. But where does this waste go? Of course, the waste does not disappear. It travels to a local wastewater facility, where all of the water from your house drainage ends.

How a Garbage Disposal Works

Trash disposal is an electronically controlled device that fits between the drain and the drain trap beneath a kitchen sink. When food and other waste enter the garbage disposal, it travels through a cutting machine (some refer to the shredder’s teeth as blades) that grinds the food into tiny bits, making it easy to flow down the sink and via the building’s drainage system.

Garbage disposals can last anywhere from 10 to 12 years, depending on how well they’re maintained and, more importantly, what you put in them. If you misuse your garbage disposal by regularly putting things down that you shouldn’t, you’ll get less lifetime usage and cause plumbing problems.

Where Does Garbage Disposal Go in a Double Sink?

You can install the garbage disposal on any side of a double sink. It’s recommended to put your garbage disposal on the side of the sink where there will be the most food waste. Your cleaning habits and kitchen arrangement will determine this. Try positioning the garbage disposal on the right if your food waste typically goes in the right sink.

Individual preferences, such as how you like to wash your dishes, which hand is your dominant hand, and typical kitchen habits, may all play a role. If you’re used to washing up after a meal on one side of the sink instead of the other, that side may be the best location for your garbage disposal.

Garbage disposals may take up a lot of space, so think about how you want your under-the-sink area to be organized. If you have a favorite spot for your trash can, consider moving your garbage disposal to free up some space.

The position of any existing plumbing may help you in deciding where to put your trash disposal. Your dishwasher’s location may also play a role in your choice. Because the dishwasher’s piping will connect to your garbage disposal, it’ll be easy to join them.

What Can You Put in Your Garbage Disposal?

1. Ground Coffee

There are conflicting opinions on this, but we don’t mind if you flush a tiny bit of coffee grounds down the drain. Please don’t use too much since it may accumulate in the pipes and cause an obstruction or backlog. This is because of the oil in coffee grounds.

2. Scraps of Cooked Meat

You can throw small scraps of cooked meat into your garbage disposal without any fear of clogging. When scraps of meat are disposed off, the shredder grinds them into smaller pieces making them easy to dispose of.

3. Citrus Rinds

You may be surprised to find that putting the rinds of oranges and other citrus fruits into your trash disposal is beneficial. They clean your disposal naturally, but they also leave it smelling excellent and fresh.

4. Most fruits and vegetables

Most fruits and vegetables may be thrown in the trash disposal. But, there are a few exceptions, like banana pills.

5. Small Bones

Bones are difficult to break down in trash disposal. Therefore, we recommend that you toss them away rather than putting them down there. However, if you accidentally put a little bone down the trash disposal, it’s typically not a huge concern and should grind up without any issues.

6. Wet (canned) cat/dog food: If your cat or dog has an unfinished meal, you can dispose of the leftovers inside the disposer.

Things You Should Not Put into the Garbage Disposal

1. Corn husks

This fibrous substance may create clogging issues and put a lot of strain on your garbage disposal.

2. Artichokes

Artichoke leaves are tough and may easily get trapped in the shredder’s teeth.

3. Eggshells

This is another one of those topics about which individuals have differing opinions. While some feel it helps sharpen the grinder’s teeth, others say it does more damage than good. We recommend just tossing them or adding them to your compost pile to be on the safe side.

4. Asparagus

Asparagus is one of the numerous fibrous things that have been documented to cause trash disposal blockage and limit its longevity.

5. Banana peels

While a banana may easily flow through trash disposal, a peel is very fibrous and can wrap around the grinding teeth, clogging it.

6. Large bones

Do not throw large borns into your disposal because you’ll quickly wear down your waste disposal if you do this.

7. Pasta and Rice

You’d assume that since pasta and rice are so soft, there’s nothing wrong with them. The difficulty is that pasta and grains grow even when shredded into tiny bits. They also turn into a sticky material that clogs drains.

8. Grease

Even if you don’t have a garbage disposal, you should never pour grease or anything else that is fatty down your drain. All grease does is thicken, and once it does, it turns into a giant sticky mass that clogs your pipes over time. Dumping it down the trash disposal will exacerbate the issue since the grease will cover the grinding chamber and the shredder’s teeth.

7. Shrimp Shells

Shrimp shells are not only difficult to dispose of, but they may also produce an unpleasant stench.

8. Potato Peels

They may pass through your trash disposal without clogging, but they are very starchy and bad for the drain. Toss them or include them in your compost pile.

9. Onion skins

Onion peels are a no-no for garbage disposal; as little as they are, they can clog your disposer.

How to Empty your Garbage Disposal

Depending on the problem, there are three methods to empty your garbage disposal or solve a garbage disposal jam:

• Check for clogs and remove blockages: There are a few things you can do to clear out your garbage disposal if you suspect it’s clogged. Switch off the trash disposal and remove the clog using pliers or kitchen tongs — never use your hands.
• Empty the drainpipe: A blocked trash disposal might lead to a clogged sink if it blocks the drainpipe. Fill the sink with water and a little dish detergent, then drain the sink while running the disposal. The pressure of the water, together with gravity, should assist clear away any obstinate trash that has clogged the pipe.
• Use a plunger: If the clog is too deep to reach using tongs or pliers, consider using a toilet plunger to release it. After that, you can pull it out or allow it to fall.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How Does a Waste Disposal Unit Work?

A revolving head disc employs centrifugal forces to drive food waste to a static grinding plate at the unit’s edge in modern waste disposal systems. Subsequently, the meal is ground up into tiny enough bits to flow through the piping system in your home.

2. What Can You Throw Away In A Waste Disposal Unit?

Almost any food waste, including veggies, may be disposed of in a contemporary disposal facility. Nevertheless, it’s important to check with the garbage disposal’s maker to see if there are any things you shouldn’t put in it.

It’s also vital not to put any utensils or hard objects into your disposal unit while disposing of food through it. Remove any loose rings or jewelry that may fall into the trash disposal while using it

3. Are Garbage Disposal Blades Supposed to be Loose

Garbage disposal lugs, also known as blades, are designed to be loose to function correctly. They are also dull, so there is no means to polish them. Even if the blades are somewhat more flexible than they should be, there is no way to tighten them. Your only alternative is to replace your trash disposal.

4. Are All Garbage Disposal Mounts the Same?

Yes, they are. Garbage disposals are designed to fit into all kitchen sinks. All kitchen sinks have standard drain hole diameters of 3.5 to 4 inches, and all trash disposals are designed to suit this single size to make installation easy. To put it simply, all trash disposals are universal.