Our maintenance technicians are happy to help when you have a work order in your apartment. Recently we sat down with our team and talked about tips for preventing problems with your garbage disposal. Many of the issues you might have with your disposal can be prevented with these simple tips.
Understand How Your Garbage Disposal Works
A garbage disposal chews up food scraps that are fed into the drain. Use a heavy flow of cold water to force the food into the grinding chamber. These particles are broken down to be flushed down the drain as liquid waste. Be careful not to send too much food material down your drain at once. Never put raw meat, skins from meat, fat or bones into your disposal. Avoid clogging the pipe by never sending pasta, rice or eggshells down the disposal. They will stick to the insides and cause problems. To clean your disposal and deodorize it you can put a mixture of 1 cup baking soda and 2 cups white vinegar into your disposal. To sharpen the blade put in ice cubes and run cold water as the ice grinds. Be careful to prevent ice chips from flying out.
Know What to Put In to Your Garbage Disposal
Think golf ball sized! Yes, that’s right…golf ball. As in… never place anything larger than a golf ball into the disposal. Be sure that the food waste you are going to send down the drain is biodegradable. Popsicles, gravy, ice cream, coffee, orange juice and milk are all fine. Scrape all large pieces of food, peelings and bones into the trash.
How to Clear a Jam in Your Garbage Disposal
Most garbage disposals come with a small wrench that can be used to turn the blades from the bottom of the unit. Make sure the unit is unplugged when you do this. Turn the wrench in both directions several times to make sure that the clog is loosened. When you have done this – plug in your disposal again, hit the red reset button on the outside of the unit and run the disposal with cold water. If this tactic does not work it’s time to call your maintenance tech.
Rent an Apartment with Expert Maintenance Service
At Red Oak Apartment Homes, we know that keeping your apartment in tip-top shape is our priority. Our team of carpenters, electricians and plumbers can help when you have a maintenance problem. Need to find a new apartment? Just contact Red Oak for help finding your next apartment home.