Home Cleaning Kitchen Cleaning 7 Things You Should Never Put Down Your Garbage Disposal Avoid a disposal disaster by keeping these items far away from your sink. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on March 8, 2019 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Tatiana Dyuvbanova / EyeEm/Getty Images That quick and easy dinner may have been delicious, but let's face it—there's nothing fun about post-meal clean-up. Before you stuff all the food scraps down the drain and tackle those dirty dishes, remember that there are certain things you need to keep far away from your kitchen sink. So what should you not put down a garbage disposal? Keep reading to find out which food items you can throw away or compost instead. Worst Offenders 01 of 07 Grease and Oil Since grease hardens when it cools, it can easily solidify and clog your garbage disposal. Once you're finished cooking, pour hot grease or oil into an empty milk carton or an unrecyclable takeout container, and toss it in the trash once the grease has cooled down and solidified. If you accidentally poured grease down the sink, clean the disposal thoroughly as soon as possible. 02 of 07 Coffee Grounds After brewing a cup of coffee, avoid putting the grounds directly into your garbage disposal. The reason: Coffee grounds can get stuck inside the trap of your disposal, and they'll eventually settle into your plumbing like sediment. 03 of 07 Pits and Seeds Hard, round objects don't grind up very well, and even small pits, like those from an olive, can get stuck in your disposal and clog the drain. 04 of 07 Celery Yes, you read that right. Despite celery's good-for-you benefits, stringy, fibrous, or starchy vegetables (asparagus included) can wrap around your disposal's blade and cause a blockage. 05 of 07 Rice and Pasta Because cooking rice and boiling pasta will cause these foods to swell, they can gather in the trap of your disposal and clog it over time. 06 of 07 Egg Shells The thin membrane inside of egg shells can wrap around your disposal's blade. Instead of throwing them down the shoot, simply toss shells in the garbage or learn how to compost them. 07 of 07 Animal Bones Putting animal bones down a garbage disposal is always a bad idea. Bones can easily get stuck, plus they significantly cut down on the lifespan of your disposal's blades. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit