* Use at least two gallons of cold water per minute--when grinding food (hot water can melt fats and clog the mechanism and the pipes)

* Do not overfill the disposer

* Do not pour bleach, drain cleaners, or other chemicals into the unit

* Do not grind overly fibrous materials, bones, or coffee grounds (check the owners manual) or materials like glass, metal, or rubber

* Run water before and after you use the disposal

If something has been put in the disposal that should not have been, including metal, rubber, glass objects, or fibrous food waste such as artichokes and corn husks, shells, or large whole bones, use tongs or pliers to pull the material out. Never use your hand.

TIP: To clean a garbage disposal of built-up sludge and debris, fill it with ice cubes and a cup of rock salt, then run it for about five seconds. If your garbage disposal smells bad, you can deodorize it by running warm water down it while you grind a lemon.

More about garbage disposal problems and repairs:

• Garbage Disposal Doesn't Run or Hum, or Runs Intermittently
  
• Garbage Disposal Grinds Poorly, Leaks, or Is Noisy
  
• Garbage Disposal Hums But Doesn't Grind
  
• Garbage Disposal Runs But Doesn't Grind or Drain
  

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