February 28, 2019
As I am about to have my first cup of coffee today, I received an email from Baker Brothers, my local Plumber with some good information that piqued my interest. The headlines read:
DON'T THROW THAT DOWN THE DISPOSAL
Taking a sip of hot coffee, I read further. What caught my attention is something everyone would be interested in knowing:
"We see a lot of clogs or strained disposals as a result of misguided care. A lot of people think lemons or coffee grounds will take care of sink bacteria and improve the smell of the kitchen."
I don't know about you, but that got my attention! Over the many years of owning a house with a garbage disposal, I never thought about putting coffee grounds down the drain to go through the garbage disposal; however, I have put lemons down there and I don't recall having a problem... Or did I? Maybe I did and never put lemons and garbage disposals together thinking, that would be a problem. I read on....
"While lemons or coffee grounds may mask unwanted odors, both will cause damage to your disposal and drainage system in the long run."
Whoa.... now that got my attention! I do recall that I recently replaced my garbage disposal but I have no idea why I needed a replacement, other than to think, it was time. Plus, today, I couldn't tell you if I had put lemons down the drain to freshen up the kitchen at that time or not. So, now that I am fully alert, and not just because of the coffee I am drinking, I am curious and want to know more. I read some more. I confess to cheating on Baker Brothers to see what else I could find out about coffee grounds & lemons down the drain and what damage they could do. Bakers was right! So were the numerous other articles I found.
"The citric acid in lemons corrodes the metal components that make up your disposal. Coffee grounds while appearing to drain just fine, actually get stuck in the trap of the garbage disposal. The buildup of grounds will eventually disable the disposal and cause unwanted damage."
Now, when it comes to coffee grounds, I make a habit of mixing it into my soil in my garden beds. I heard from reliable nurseries long ago, coffee grounds attract worms which are great for the growing flowers in your garden. Which for me, has been very successful! In digging deeper into the world of coffee grounds and gardens, I learned that coffee grounds and worms make a great team because they decrease the concentrations of heavy metals in the soil.
I found other articles too, which has been helpful to understand why you don't put coffee grounds or lemons down your garbage disposal, including using the right coffee filters and why it is so important. In addition, I read articles about what you can use for a filter if you go camping and you don't have coffee filters, why I should think twice about popular Franchise Coffee Shops, and other topics of interest when it comes to coffee, coffee grounds, lemons, garbage disposals and drains. Whew! Homeowners and prospective buyers have a lot to learn when it comes to home maintenance. REALTORS®, like myself, other agents who are not REALTORS®, and consumers need continuous education. My second confession today is, I am a research junkie!
Have a nice day!
