What Can I Put In My Garbage Disposal?

The Family Plumber - Surprise, Arizona

"I've seen bones,I've seen,I meat,yeah,accidental stuff like,
you know,forks and silverware and stuff like that."

- Bobby Crowder, Plumbing Expert

Why do we continue to abuse our garbage disposal and plumbing system? The garbage disposal should not be used for most food items. Plumbing expert, Bobby Crowder, The Family Plumber joins Jim Klauck - aka Check A Pro Joe on the show today.

The question today - "What Can I Put In My Garbage Disposal?"

Check out this episode of The Plumber Podcast to find out more...

For more information about The Family Plumber in Surprise, Arizona log on to www.callthefamilyplumber.com or check them out at www.checkapro.com.

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Podcast Episode Transcript:

My good friend,
Bobby Crowder is joining me the family plumber.
Hey,
Bobby,
how are you doing,
Bud?
Hey,
how you doing?
Nice to,
nice to be here.
Yeah,
it's great to have you here.
Ok.
You're my go to guy when it comes to plumbing questions out here in Arizona.
And I'll tell you,
people don't know what they're doing with their garbage disposal.
For some reason,
people think that they can put everything down there,
including the kitchen sink.
That's funny.
So there are things that we should and should not put in our garbage disposal.
Correct?
Oh,
that is 100% correct.
Hey,
I've gone to houses that you won't believe where?
I don't know.
They just think that it's a,
it's a,
it's a trash compactor.
I mean,
it's like a,
like a big giant garbage truck that's gonna compact and just bring it down the drain.
I mean,
I've seen bones,
I've seen,
I meat,
yeah,
accidental stuff like,
you know,
forks and silverware and stuff like that.
But there's stuff that just not,
they've,
I've,
I've seen,
they've tried to put,
uh,
like paper towels and just everything they can,
they just think it's,
it's a,
you know,
it says garbage disposal but,
you know,
there's things that you shouldn't be putting down there for 100%.
I think it should be called light vegetables and fruit.
That's rotting disposal because,
because those are soft.
Um,
and many of you may not know this but really what's to go into your sewer line or certainly if you have your own septic system should only be human waste.
It really shouldn't be food products.
It's not what the systems are designed for.
Now,
a sewer system isn't really your problem.
It goes to the city if you will and they process it.
But,
but if anyone is listening,
if you ever get a septic system,
yes.
Do not throw it off balance.
It's like our stomachs.
There's certain things you should not put in there.
And so,
uh,
you know,
don't put bones in there.
It's bad for the,
the actual machine itself.
The garbage disposal.
I'll tell you something else is big and Bobby backed me up on this isn't your busiest time around the holidays around Thanksgiving and Christmas you'll put too much grease in there.
Oh,
yeah,
that's so,
so the thing is,
is like,
uh,
I think my busy.
Exactly.
It's gonna be Thanksgiving and around Christmas and it's usually the day before it's always at night.
So it's,
it's a constant basis.
So where,
you know,
they're just like,
uh,
potato peels.
No,
nos,
uh,
carrot peels.
No,
nose eggshells.
No,
no.
Uh,
I,
I can,
the list can go on and on.
Grease.
100.
We put it in a jar,
seal it up,
throw it away.
Yeah.
Don't,
don't put that down there.
That's just bad for the drain.
So,
the thing is here,
here,
here's the thing.
They could put a lot of that stuff down the garbage disposal and they'll run it.
The thing,
the,
the garbage disposal will handle it.
It's the drain that will not.
And that's where it just kind of compacts in the drain.
And then that's when they have,
they have a backup and it just,
it just doesn't work so light stuff.
Uh,
you know,
vegetables,
fruits,
you know,
little scraps off your plate is fine.
Uh,
like I said,
septic tanks,
you know,
we try to,
when it comes to septic tanks,
I always look for it towards customer that,
you know,
eliminating the garbage disposal,
even though,
even though I'll educate the homeowner,
who knows what their kids might do and stuff like that.
So we try to stay away from that kind of stuff.
But,
you know,
let's,
let's keep it light.
It's,
let's prevent from one of us coming out if you would like.
But we're more than welcome to come out if you want us to.
Yeah.
So I'm,
I'm kind of anti garbage disposal.
I don't have one.
I,
I live on a ranch.
We have a septic system and it's,
it's a balanced system.
It actually is designed to break down human waste and process that.
It's not designed to take the carrot peels and the,
and,
and a banana peel for that matter.
And you're just looking for trouble and it's really better to throw it in the trash and let the trash guy deal with it.
Even things like,
you know,
gravy,
which has fat in it,
but any kind of,
you know,
fatty substance,
uh if you have,
you know,
some,
you know,
leftover butter that's starting to smell,
don't throw it in the sink or garbage disposal,
put it in the trash and have it carted away.
Here's the thing,
it's easier for them to just to step over and put it into a sink than it is to walk over and put it into a garbage.
It's kind of,
you know,
it's shorter distance for or quicker distance to get it,
get it done.
So it's just,
it's,
we see that a lot,
everybody,
it's not a garbage chute.
It is really designed for,
for liquid to travel through.
And if you put this stuff in it,
it's gonna make it more difficult for the liquid to travel through.
If the liquid has trouble traveling,
it will back up.
And that's when you call Bobby Crowder.
Bobby's information.
All of his information is located in the description of this podcast for all of your plumbing needs,
including your garbage disposal needs.
Contact him at the family plumber.
Thanks Bobby.
I appreciate it,
buddy.