When the kitchen floor is flooded, plumbing has gone bust, and the home insurance man comes around, if you have put any of the following in it then he will probably refuse to pay out on the basis that your negligence caused the damage.

Paper - Once this gets wet then it clings to the inside machinery and clogs it up.

Plastic - This is simply too tough to process.

Bones - What do you think is going to happen to that bone once its in the garbage disposal?

Eggshells - They might be easy to crack but they are not so easy to turn into pulp.

Grease - It will stick to, and build up on the disposal tube.

Stringy Vegetables - These do not do well in the garbage disposal because they become balls that clog the entire system up.

Coffee Grounds - A basket full of grounds from your coffee maker? You are looking for trouble.

Rice & Noodles - This one is a surprise to most people, but its a starch will give your garbage disposal indigestion.

So, what can you put in there? Your plate scraps are fine, as are small bits of meat and chopped up veggies (but remember to avoid the stems). Apply some common sense and follow the golden rule - "If in doubt, keep it out".

Now you are aware of what to keep out of your garbage disposal, here are some tips for keeping it in good condition…

- Regularly pour water down it.

- Occasionally put ice in there as it will scrape off food items stuck to the side of the tube.

- Throw some lime or lemon juice down there every so often to keep it smelling fresh.

Doing all of the above will ensure that your garbage disposal remains in good working order for as long as possible. They are not cheap pieces of equipment so, to prevent needing to have a difficult conversation with an impossible home insurance man, make sure that you look after yours.

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