“Shells from crabs, shrimp, and other shellfish can damage the disposal,” says Palla. Wilson notes that flushable cat litter ...

Never treat your garbage disposal like a trash can—avoid putting in paper, plastic, hair, or debris. Skip fats, oils, and grease, which harden in pipes and create sticky clogs that worsen over time.

It's not designed to grind up everything. Garbage disposals are designed to handle small amounts of foods. Avoid large amounts of food as well as things like eggshells, coffee grounds, grease, bones, ...

A garbage disposal is a useful tool for cleaning up food scraps. While helpful, there are many common items that can clog or damage garbage disposals. An expert explains how to avoid garbage disposal ...