Garbage disposals are perfect for getting rid of unwanted leftovers as well as expired food. Unfortunately, most people take their disposal for granted until it gets clogged and stops working. With the holidays on the horizon, there’s a good chance you’ll be hosting company or cooking food to bring somewhere else. Avoid a last-minute disaster by making sure you take care of your drains and garbage disposal.

To lengthen the life of your garbage disposal and prevent clogs, follow these five tips courtesy of our plumbing and heating system installation experts in Easton, PA.

1. Operate your garbage disposal regularly. Even if you don’t need to use it, you should run the water and your disposal every few days. Otherwise, the disposal may lock up, rust or corrode while leftover food might harden, causing foul odors or clogs.

2. Run cold water. Make sure to run cold water, not hot, when using the garbage disposal. Hot water is better for cleaning, but it will melt the food your disposal is trying to grind up. Instead, the waste will cling to the sides. Cold water actually hardens food, while hot water makes it easier for the disposal to grind it the food.

3. Continue to run the disposal. Once your garbage disposal is done grinding up the waste, continue to run the water and disposal for a minute. This allows all the food to be flushed out the drain pipe. You can even run cold water and some dish soap down the drain once it’s finished grinding. This cleans out the disposal to ensure nothing is left behind or sticking to the sides.

4. Cut waste into small pieces. Also, don’t dump everything at once. Instead, put just a few pieces in at a time. Otherwise, you might clog, jam or break the disposal.

5. Grind citrus fruit. Soap and cold water certainly help but once in awhile, toss an orange, lemon or lime peel down the disposal. It will help clear excess waste while eliminating any unpleasant odors.

Following these tips will keep your disposal clean and fully functional throughout the holiday season. If you do have any issues, find your circuit breaker and turn the power off before you try to resolve a clog.

Better yet, contact the plumbing and heating system repair experts serving residents in Bethlehem, PA – Curtis Total Service! Give us a call at 610-770-9045 to schedule a drain snaking. Don’t forget to ask one of our technicians about our all-natural, organic drain cleaning solution, Curtis Clean, and how it can keep your lines running smoothly.