THE UNSEEN DANGER OF COFFEE GROUNDS IN YOUR GARBAGE DISPOSAL

Your garbage disposal is one of the most important appliances in your home. It makes quick work of food scraps and leftovers so you can easily get rid of them instead of having to throw them out with the trash.

The problem with many disposals, however, is that they are not built for all types of waste. Coffee grounds are a common culprit because they tend to build up at the bottom and clog drains or cause slow drains over time. This means you may need to replace your garbage disposal if it’s regularly clogged by coffee grounds or other items like citrus peels or eggshells.

Fortunately, there are ways to avoid this issue altogether by rinsing off coffee grounds before putting them down your sink drain (or compost bin).

You can also dispose of coffee grounds using a disposable cup lined with plastic wrap instead of flushing it down the toilet where it could potentially cause blockages in plumbing systems throughout your house. If you have any coffee grinds left from coffee you have made, here are a few other suggestions for what coffee can be used for to avoid coffee grounds going down your sink drain.

IS IT WISE TO PUT COFFEE GROUNDS IN THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL?

No definitely not! No matter what you may have heard coffee grounds should not be put down your garbage disposal! The coffee grounds can build up in the bottom of the garbage disposal, building up over time and causing a blockage.

It’s also important to note that when coffee is broken down in the water by the garbage disposal it will leave behind coffee residue in the drain which can cause a coffee-like smell and taste and further clog and damage the garbage disposal.

HOW TO REMOVE THE COFFEE GROUNDS FROM A GARBAGE DISPOSAL?

First of all, coffee grounds should not go down the drain at all. Coffee grounds are likely to cause a coffee-like smell and taste in your sink, making your garbage disposal smell like coffee even after it is cleaned. That can’t be good for you!

You can try the following:

Boil some water. Pour the boiling water down your coffee disposal, and leave it running until you can run some cold water through it. The coffee grounds should be dissolved by then and they will flush right out along with the water. You can also use some dish soap before pouring the boiling water. Dish soap is a great coffee grounds remover but not in all

Pour some dish soap down your coffee disposal, and then pour some boiling water into the coffee disposal to dissolve the coffee grounds. This is one of the best ways to remove coffee grounds from garbage disposal if they’re already stuck in it because it will not cause any electrical shocks or trips due to splashing that cold water could cause.

Dish soap is a great coffee grounds remover, but it will only work if you pour the boiling water down your coffee disposal before the dish soap. If coffee grounds are already stuck in your garbage disposal then pour some boiling water into it to dissolve them and let the dish soap do its job by flushing them out of your pipes. Don’t overdo it with the soap as too much is also too bad.

WHAT DISSOLVES COFFEE GROUNDS?

Some coffee grounds are easier to dissolve than others. Coffee is an organic carbon-based material, so it will naturally break down over time and you’ll be able to flush coffee grounds away with little trouble.

Coffee grounds are made of coffee oils and coffee solids. So what can dissolve coffee grounds?

The coffee oils in coffee grounds can be dissolved with a coffee filter, hot coffee, dish soap, vinegar, or boiling water. To dissolve the coffee solids in coffee grounds you can use either boiled water, dish soap, or vinegar to submerge them in.

If the coffee grounds are already stuck in your garbage disposal then boiling water is your best bet since it will not cause any electrical shocks.

OTHERS THINGS THAT YOU ALSO SHOULDN’T PUT IN THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL?

Garbage disposals will typically leave coffee grounds to sit at the bottom of the disposer and accumulate which can cause a blockage or slow drains. Other items shouldn’t be put down in the garbage disposal?

Items that shouldn’t be put in the garbage disposer are coffee grinds, eggshells, citrus fruit peels, banana peels, clamshell packaging, eggshells with liquid egg whites still on them, coffee filters containing coffee grinds, tea leaves, or coffee bags.

Also, foods like pasta and rice can clog up your drains very easily. After having your food, just clean the dishes and throw leftovers in the bin.

HOW TO KEEP THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL CLEAN?

You can start by paying attention to what you put down into the garbage disposal. Don’t put everything you can there just because you’re too lazy to throw it into the trash bin. Don’t put coffee grounds, eggshells, coffee filters, banana peels, and so on.

Coffee filters are great because you can put coffee grounds in them and dispose of them as a coffee filter without having coffee now stuck inside your garbage disposal. You can even recycle the coffee filter later once the coffee is dissolved from it.

You should also consider cold water, dish soap, boiling water, or some combination of those three.

ALTERNATIVE USES FOR YOUR COFFEE GROUNDS?

If you want to get rid of coffee grounds without flushing them down the toilet or letting them build up in the bottom of the garbage disposal, we suggest a few alternatives:

1. Empty disposable cup: One option is pouring used coffee grinds into an empty disposable cup lined with plastic wrap before tossing it out with the trash instead of putting it down your drain.
2. Compost: Coffee grounds can be beneficial as an addition to a compost heap. You can throw them away with the paper filter, as it will disintegrate.
3. Fertilizer: coffee grounds are excellent for use in your garden. You can use them on plants that need extra nutrients. Like eggshells. Some people even use used coffee grounds for growing mushrooms.
4. Source of protein: Coffee grounds can be used on meats, toast, eggs and other foods that require extra proteins. It can also be used for a rub for meat before being cooked.
5. A skin-exfoliate: Coffee grounds can be used as an exfoliating scrub for the human body. Used coffee grounds still contain caffeine that can have antioxidant properties. You can easily remove dead skin cells and improve your skin health. It can be used in facial treatments like a coffee facial mask and so on.

CONCLUSION

When you put coffee grounds down the garbage disposal, it can cause a blockage or slow drains. The best thing to do is to dispose of your leftover coffee grounds in the trash and surely don’t put them down the drain. You could also make compost with them.

If you have access to a garden, grow mushrooms out of them. You can also use them as a base for a scrub. Don’t take unnecessary risks by putting them down in the garbage disposal. You’ll be happy you didn’t!

As always, enjoy your coffee!