Can You Put Drain Cleaner Down a Garbage Disposal?

Many people wonder, “Can you put drain cleaner down a garbage disposal?”  But instead of waiting to find out the answer, they dump the cleaner down the drain and hope for the best. When dealing with a garbage disposal drain blockage, it’s not unusual to want to get back to the normal routine.

After all, food waste piles up fast. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking you can put drain cleaner down the garbage disposal. Pay attention to the following advice from Sahuarita’s plumbing contractor, who takes care of the Tucson community with five-star service.

Garbage Disposals and Drain Cleaners

There are two major reasons you shouldn’t use drain cleaners.

They Are Environmentally Unsound

Assuring safe, effective waste management means more than removing bagged garbage from city centers and dumping it out of sight. Waste removal doesn’t just deal with bags or dumpsters full of garbage that you can transport via hands or trucks, either.

Everything we use, from trash bags to cleaners, demands safe disposal, including wastewater containing drain cleaners.

Drain cleaners contain harmful ingredients that burn the skin and cause severe injuries, including death if ingested.

You don’t want to dump them down the drain and hope for the best. Drain cleaners dumped down the garbage disposal flow into wastewater management sites, where they merge with other water sources. Dumping drain cleaner down a garbage disposal qualifies as environmentally unsound.

So, while the answer to the question, “Can you put drain cleaner down a garbage disposal?” is technically yes, you shouldn’t if you want to reduce your carbon footprint.

Most Clogs Resist Them

Despite wreaking havoc on the environment, chemical cleaners don’t remove clogs that well. They work on a more superficial level, and they corrode plumbing. They can damage garbage disposal pipes, plastic parts, and other metal parts.

A professional plumber provides the most effective clog removal because they have the tools to deal with a clog, know what’s causing it, and repair or replace parts as necessary. This saves money and time because the professionals won’t have to correct drain clean problems.

Besides, a clog might not be the problem. A malfunctioning garbage disposal could also be due to:

• Worn-out parts
• The age of the unit
• The kitchen sink

After clearing the clog, commit to getting disposal maintenance as recommended. Keeping the garbage clean and tuned up complies with the warranty and also prevents small clogs from becoming big problems.

Professional plumbers can help keep your house running smoothly while helping you avoid plumbing-related headaches down the road.

Contact Al Coronado Plumbing for Garbage Disposal Maintenance and Other Plumbing Needs

Now that you know the answer to, “Can you put drain cleaner down a garbage disposal?” hire Tucson’s premier plumbing team, Al Coronado Plumbing, to care for your garbage disposal. We can further explain why there are no drain cleaners safe for pipes and keep your pipes clean with our five-star work.

Call us at 520-834-8400 for garbage disposal maintenance and other plumbing maintenance, repair, or replacement needs.