A plumbing expert has issued a warning to all homeowners about the dangers of putting common food items down their garbage disposal, revealing how easily these popular ingredients can clog the sink and lead to a nightmare drainage problem.
The master plumber, who is based in Texas and goes by the online name “The Plumbers Plunger,” shared the warning while posting a video of himself clearing out a sink that was completely clogged after the homeowner threw rice down the garbage disposal.
“This stoppage happened after the customer put a ton of rice down the drain,” he explains while sharing footage of the blocked pipes. “I’m assuming it’s all stuck in the piping here under the sink.”
The plumbing pro then attempts to clear the blockage with a plunger, but admits he doesn’t have high hopes it will work. In his experience, most customers will have tried that method themselves before calling him.
As predicted, plunging the sink does little to shift the blockage, so he moves on to the pipes underneath it, which he begins to take apart in the hopes of locating the issue.
“I’m going to take apart this P-trap so I can remove all of the rice that I assume is stuck inside it,” he says while unscrewing a circular part of the pipe to reveal the interior is packed with grains of rice.
As he removes the rice from the pipe, the plumber issues a warning to all homeowners to be mindful of what foods they throw into the kitchen sink as certain items could cause blockage.
“Remember to be careful with what you’re putting down your kitchen sink drain,” he advises. “Even if you have a disposal, it’s not a good idea to put too much down it. If it doesn’t immediately back up like it did in this situation, over time you’re going to get enough food buildup and grease in the drain line that it’s going to back up.”
He noted that some homeowners use their garbage disposals like a food scrap bin, but said they should be incredibly careful about four specific items: rice, coffee grounds, eggshells, and grease.
“That’s usually what will back it up,” he says.
According to another plumbing expert, Doyle James, president of Mr. Rooter Plumbing, there are several other items that homeowners should avoid putting in their garbage disposal—starting with nonfood products.
“A garbage disposal is supposed to grind food waste, not manmade materials,” he previously told Realtor.com®. He has found everything from cigarette butts to metal scraps in his customers’ disposals in the past.
Animal bones are also a big no-no, according to James, including small ones like chicken wing and fish bones.
“Some people think that certain bones, such as small fish or chicken bones, will clean a garbage disposal’s walls when they’re being ground up,” he said. This is absolutely not the case.
“Most bones will simply spin in the unit until they slip past the blades and clog your drain,” he went on.
Another word of warning to all homeowners: Garbage disposals do require regular maintenance.
Don Glovan, a consultant with Mr. Rooter Plumbing, suggests that disposals should be cleaned monthly with a mixture of vinegar and baking soda.
They will help to “remove buildup and bacteria issues,” he said.
Regular degreasing should also be performed using a few chunks of lemon, while cold water should be run through an empty garbage disposal on a regular basis to ensure the “safe operation” of the device.
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