Commercial Kitchen Garbage Disposal Quick Tips

Service Tips: Garbage Disposals

Published on Monday, 09 February 2015

Written by Toby Weber, Contributing Editor

Garbage disposals make life easier in many commercial kitchens. They can make cleaning pots, pans and dishes easier and prevent drain clogs.

Just because they’re such workhorses, though, doesn’t mean they can be abused. Here are some tips to help foodservice operators keep their garbage disposals in good working order.

• Garbage disposals aren’t trashcans and shouldn’t be treated as such. Don’t send paper products, glass, plastic or cigarette butts down the disposal. Food waste only.
• Not all food waste can go down the disposal. Large animal bones are out. Extremely fibrous foods like celery and cornhusks can get tangled in a disposal and cause a major clog.
• Grease should not be poured down a disposal either. It can easily build up in a unit, making it less effective and clogging the drain. For that same reason, use cold water with a disposal. It solidifies grease into particles that are washed away. Hot water, on the other hand, will liquify grease, which causes plenty of problems.
• Operators can check for issues like excessive vibration, water leaks and the proper water flow down the disposal drain. If you spot one of these, call your service agent.

There are lots of tips for dealing with odors from a garbage disposal. Among them are making ice cubes out of vinegar, and grinding lemons or limes.