Garbage disposals are a great tool to have in the kitchen until they fail, and the repair costs can be expensive in some cases. Therefore I have some tips on how to avoid high garbage disposal repairs.

The very useful garbage disposal cuts down kitchen clean-up by cutting food into small bits that can safely flow through your drain pipe. However, as with any machine, they have limited power and are prone to breakdowns. But, the good news is that if you follow just a few basic guidelines for appropriate sink disposal, you can avoid costly repairs from clogs, plumbing and replacement parts.

You should always run cold water when using your disposal unit. Warm water usually liquefies fat from foods and can cause clogs. You should always run the disposal when you put food in the drain. If you leave food in the drain, you can cause too much work for the disposal when you add more food later.

When you have large amounts of food, add a little at a time so the disposal will have enough time to chop up the food properly before adding more. And, you should let the disposal run for a few minutes after the food grinding has stopped. You can also run a little dish detergent in the disposal to clean it from time to time.

Just like your kitchen knives, the blades on your disposal will become dull at some point in time. You can sharpen the blades by running a glass full of ice cubes through it. Ice cubes can be very useful for maintaining your garbage disposal. They beat against the walls of the disposal and between the blades to clear away build-up from food.

You can deodorize your disposal by cutting a lemon into quarters and putting it into the disposal. You can also add baking soda to the drain for a lemony fresh scent.

 And, call Realtor(R) Liz Miller for more tips and advice.