DirectBuy Kitchen Remodeling Blog » Garbage Disposals

Maintaining and Cleaning Your Garbage Disposal

Karen, Kitchen Remodeling Pro — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:33:09 +0000

Most homeowners today consider a garbage disposal a necessary part of the kitchen. We tend to take these little gadgets for granted and assume they can handle anything we drop down the drain. However, we do need to take care of the garbage disposal to keep it in good working order and odor free.

A few tips for good garbage disposal care:

Avoid putting very thick food items into the disposal (bones, very thick fruits and vegetables). Most of the bad odors are caused from rotting food. Stringy foods such as celery and banana peels can easily become wrapped around the blades and cause odors.

Always run cold water as you wash anything down the disposal and follow up by running cold water after each use. Don’t use hot water which can melt animal fats that can later become gooey and cause clogs further down your drain.

Occasionally run cold water and drop a glass of ice down the disposal – this helps to clean the blades and loosen hard buildups of gunk. Run cold water before, during & after.

Clean your disposal with baking soda & vinegar – avoid toxic chemicals!

Boil water in a small boiler. Pour half a cup of baking soda down the disposal and follow it with a cup of white vinegar – you’ll hear the fizzing of a chemical reaction – this is normal. Let this stand for a minute and then follow it with the boiling water.

Always keep kitchen utensils from falling down the disposal which bends and damages the blades.

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Keeping Your Garbage Disposal in Good Shape

Karen, Kitchen Remodeling Pro — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:52:43 +0000

The working of a garbage disposal unit is very simple. Most garbage disposals use a common technology that consists of a rotating masher made of steel and a disposal wall on the inside that has teeth to do the grinding work. It consists of a motor inside which rotates the flat plate in the grinding area.

Garbage disposal units should be allowed to run only until the food particles have been ground. The time required for this is only about 30 seconds. Then a stream of cold water should be allowed to pass and the disposal should be run for another 30 seconds.

The dishwasher should be connected to the garbage disposal unit to ensure that the food particles from the dishwasher are fed into it and disposed of through the disposal. When you’re looking for a new garbage disposal look for features such as corrosion protection and overload manual buttons.

As with any other appliance, proper maintenance and use will keep your garbage disposal in tip top condition. To keep your garbage disposal free of food odors, drop a small piece of lemon into it once in a while.

If you’re remodeling or building and need appliances – small or large – for your home, DirectBuy has a broad selection of top-quality products for you to choose from. Manufacturer-direct prices help you get what you need and stay within your budget.

Garbage Disposals – A Kitchen Necessity

Karen, Kitchen Remodeling Pro — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:45:27 +0000

While planning kitchen settings, the one thing people sometimes forget is a garbage disposal unit. Even though this is one of the most important things in a kitchen, some people don’t pay proper attention to this handy kitchen amenity while remodeling the kitchen and realize their mistake only later.

A garbage disposal unit is a device that is placed under the kitchen sink in between the drain and the U-bend and is electrically powered. The main function of the garbage disposal is to shred the food waste into small pieces so that clogging doesn’t take place.

Those who have used garbage disposals before know the real importance and value of making it a top kitchen priority during remodeling.

Drain clogs and backed-up water in your sink is not a pleasant experience. With the installation of a good garbage disposal, you won’t have to worry about clogging. Though garbage disposals are a standard feature of kitchens in new homes, many older homes do not have them in place. If your kitchen is without this amazing little gadget, do yourself a favor and install a kitchen garbage disposal in your sink.

DirectBuy offers just about everything you can think of to make your kitchen a friendly, convenient place to spend time – even when you’re washing dishes. You’ll find great products and great savings on kitchen appliances and more.