Despite its straightforward name, a garbage disposal is not necessarily the right place to put all garbage.

Strange, but true. Some of the basic everyday items we toss in and grind up can actually clog pipes and damage the disposal. Coffee grounds, eggshells and vegetable peels are prime example. Egg shells ground up in the disposal can actually transform into sand-like grains that could clog the pipes. In the same way, coffee grounds can build up like mud in the plumbing. Vegetable peels? They can turn to a slimy, soupy, drain-clogging mess. For more insight on items that can lead to trouble in your pipes, check out this article from One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Worried about the damage you may have already done? Julie Washington, writing for The Plain Dealer, offers easy, practical, DIY ways to clean your disposal and drains. What to do with all that garbage you can’t grind up? It might be time to start composting, with some help from Organic Life!

Tags: Garbage Disposal, home maintenance, Organic Life, The Plain Dealer