Debunking 10 Common Garbage Disposal Myths & Misconceptions

Table of Contents

• What Are The Common Myths About Garbage Disposal? 
  • Myth 1. Garbage Disposal Works Like A Blender 
  • Myth 2. You Can Put Anything Down the Garbage Disposal
  • Myth 3. Garbage Disposals Consume A Lot Of Energy and Waste Water
  • Myth 4. Garbage Disposals Are Maintenance-Free
  • Myth 5. Ice Cubes Sharpen The Garbage Disposals Blade
  • Myth 6. Lemon Rinds Can Clean The Garbage Disposal 
  • Myth 7. Soap Can Clean The Food Waste Disposal 
  • Myth 8. No Need To Remove Stickers From Fruits or Vegetables
  • Myth 9. Run Hot Water When Using the Garbage Disposal
  • Myth 10. Garbage Disposal Isn’t Eco-Friendly
• Conclusion

From the first day (when the garbage disposal appeared for the first time) to now, there are many myths about garbage disposal. 

For example, garbage disposals work like a blender and can process everything. Because of this belief, you put everything into the disposal from the first day of garbage disposal installation.

If you believe those misconceptions about garbage disposal, you will experience unwanted abuses of your disposal unit. For instance, tossing off fibrous food can cause a clog as the disposal blade can get caught. 

It doesn’t only reduce the efficiency of your garbage disposal but also damages the unit. 

Today, I am going to debunk those common myths about garbage disposal. It will help you maintain your disposal unit correctly to keep the disposal in tip-top condition for a long time. 

Without further ado, let’s debunk those garbage disposal misconceptions. 

What Are The Common Myths About Garbage Disposal?

Here are the 10 common misconceptions about garbage disposals: 

Myth 1. Garbage Disposal Works Like A Blender

Most homeowners have a misbelief that garbage disposals work like a blender. They think garbage disposals have sharp blades like a blender and can chop up everything. 

But in reality, garbage disposals have no blades at all. Instead of blades, garbage disposals have impellers. 

The disposal unit creates centrifugal force and pushes food waste against the stationary grinding ring. Then, pulverize the food particles and make them easy to flush. 

If you put eggshells or fibrous vegetables in the disposal by thinking that the unit works like a blender, it will damage the unit and reduce its lifespan. 

It’s because the stringy nature can wrap around the disposal blade. At worst, your garbage disposal unit can break down if you put hard items like fruit pits.

Myth 2. You Can Put Anything Down the Garbage Disposal

This misconception about garbage disposal derives from the myth that the garbage disposal works like a blender. 

On the contrary, you already know garbage disposals have no sharp blades like a blender. It means garbage disposal can’t handle everything like bones, fibrous foods, non-food items, and oil & grease. 

If you try to put what not to put in a garbage disposal, you will encounter problems like jammed disposal, clogged plumbing systems, or broken disposal units. 

Myth 3. Garbage Disposals Consume A Lot Of Energy and Waste Water

Garbage disposals use too much electric energy and waste a lot of water to process food waste. 

This misconception grows from the power rating of the disposal unit. On average, a food waste disposal uses 500 to 1500 watts of power based on the unit size and horsepower rating. 

But the heck is- you run the garbage disposal unit for a very short time. Approximately garbage disposal consumes 3-4 kWh of electricity per household. 

In other words, the estimated electric bill will cost less than 0.60/year. 

When it comes to water waste, the garbage disposal uses only 1 gallon of water per person per day. 

If it seems like too much waste of water, what do you think about the water usage every time you flush your toilet?

Myth 4. Garbage Disposals Are Maintenance-Free

Garbage Disposal requires minimal maintenance, which is also a misconception. 

But the truth is you should maintain the disposal unit to ensure optimum performance and prolong the lifespan of garbage disposal. 

However, avoiding regular or periodic maintenance, including cleaning the unit or checking for leaks, could lead to unpleasant smells, clogs, or malfunctioning components. 

I recommend homeowners like you perform the routine garbage disposal maintenance workflow to keep the unit in tip-top condition. 

Myth 5. Ice Cubes Sharpen The Garbage Disposals Blade

A common myth is that running ice cubes through the disposal unit can sharpen the blades. 

But the truth is- garbage disposal has no blades like the traditional kitchen knife. Instead, the disposal unit has impellers that require no sharpening. 

And the goal of putting ice cubes down the garbage disposal is to dislodge clogs, not sharpen the blade. 

Myth 6. Lemon Rinds Can Clean The Garbage Disposal

“Run the lemon rinds through the garbage disposal to clean and freshen your disposal unit.” 

You may hear this myth from a fellow homeowner. 

However, the validity of this information is not correct. In reality, tossing lemons through the disposal unit masks the foul odor, indicating a problem with the plumbing system. 

The citric acid in the lemon neither cleans the disposal unit nor disinfects it. Instead, the acid can corrode the metal parts inside the disposal over time. 

Myth 7. Soap Can Clean The Food Waste Disposal

Some homeowners believe that the soap can clean the garbage disposal. 

In reality, soap can’t clean the food waste disposal. Soap contains ingredients like talc, which create hard-to-remove residue. 

The accumulated residue over time can block the plumbing system and decrease disposal efficiency. 

Instead of using soap, use baking soda and vinegar to clean the disposal unit.

Myth 8. No Need To Remove Stickers From Fruits or Vegetables

Smaller stickers on the vegetables or fruits are a pain in the neck to remove if you are in a hurry to prepare a meal for your family. 

Due to the size of the sticker, you may encounter the possible risk of damage that can bring when you dispose of the sticker. 

The sticker can wrap around the disposal blade and cause a blockage. It can even end up with a costly repair. 

I suggest you dispose of the tiny sticker in the trash bin. 

Myth 9. Run Hot Water When Using the Garbage Disposal

Running hot water through the garbage disposal is another myth. 

Pouring hot water down the garbage disposal can liquify the FOG (fat, oil, and grease), solidifying those items further down the drain and causing a blockage. 

To avoid such issues, run cold water every time you operate the garbage disposal. 

Cold water will help solidify the garbage disposal and prevent the oils or grease from going down the drain. 

Myth 10. Garbage Disposal Isn’t Eco-Friendly

Many homeowners have a misbelief that garbage disposals are not friendly to the environment. 

They think so because they believe that garbage disposal may overload the sewer system and consume a lot of energy. 

And they are wrong. 

The disposal unit only uses 3-4 kWh of electricity per year for every household. 

On top of that, garbage disposal reduces the food waste sent to landfills, which are responsible for producing methane. 

Grinding up food particles and sending them to the wastewater system is the goal of garbage disposal. The food waste disposal unit helps lower methane production and allows food waste to be repurposed. 

It means you can use the food waste as a fertilizer. 

To sum up, garbage disposal is friendly to the environment. 

Conclusion

Most homeowners believe that garbage disposal is a powerful appliance. From this thinking, they throw away everything down the garbage disposal. 

And this myth is responsible for unimaginable damage to the garbage disposal. 

Like other appliances, garbage disposal requires proper maintenance to keep the unit functional for a long time. But believing in those common garbage disposal myths can make things worse.

I recommend you contact a professional or read this guide to learn how to use garbage disposal properly. Following this advice, you can get tips that help you best use your disposal unit.