When the kitchen floor is flooded, plumbing has gone bust, and you have to call in the home insurance man, 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 - The inside machinery gets clogged up as soon as the paper gets wet.

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 - Bad, they only clog your disposal system.

Grease - The same way it will clog your kitchen sink drain, it will clog your disposal system.

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 - The high starch content causes a bad reaction with the other items put in with them.

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 you should be ok. The golden rule though is "If in doubt, keep it out".

Now you know what to keep out of your garbage disposal, here are some additional tips to keep your garbage disposal in top condition…

- Regularly pour water down it.

- Throw some ice in there - it will freeze anything that may be stuck and knock it out.

- 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. Repairs are expensive so, to avoid an awkward conversation with an impossible home insurance man, make sure that you take care of your garbage disposal.

Too many people pay too much for their home insurance. If you want a better deal, then visit http://www.henryinsurance.com, who are homeowners insurance policy specialists.

categories: garbage disposal,appliances,kitchen,waste management,home management,home improvement