Things to do with old garbage disposals 

Garbage disposals are reliable and durable kitchen appliances that require minimum maintenance. However, like any other appliance, they have a certain life expectancy, meaning you’ll have to upgrade or replace them at some point. 

But what should you do with the old garbage disposal when that happens? Believe it or not, there are some incredible options on what you can do with your old or broken garbage disposal. 

So, read on to discover 4 things to do with old garbage disposal! 

What to do with your old garbage disposals

1. Donate the old garbage disposal to charity 

Many people are always looking for used appliances in charity organizations. So, if your old garbage disposal is working and in good condition, you can donate it to a non-profit organization like Goodwill or Salvation. That way, you will help someone who is in need of garbage disposal and preserve the environment. At the same time, this will allow for the garbage disposal to continue its only use in life instead of ending its life short. 

Alternatively, you can donate the old garbage disposal to a local charity shop. So, do an online search for charity shops near you or check the local authority website to see if there is a charity shop willing to take your old garbage disposal. However, some local charity shops don’t take garbage disposals even if you clean them since they’re basically food grinders. All in all, you may be lucky enough to find an organization in your area that accepts garbage disposal donations. 

2. Sell your old garbage disposal 

If you can’t find a charity organization that accepts old garbage disposal donations, try selling it on online marketplaces like Facebook and Craigslist. Many people are always looking for good, working garbage disposals on these platforms, so it will be easy to find a buyer. 

Also, you can use your garage sale to sell the disposal or even give it to a friend either at a fee or for free. 

However, before you sell or donate your garbage disposal, make sure you clean it thoroughly to get rid of any nasty smell. 

3. Recycle it 

If selling or donating your garbage disposal is not an option, consider recycling it. After all, this is the most eco-friendly option for the environment when you want to get rid of anything. 

However, unlike other appliances, you cannot just recycle your old garbage disposal with curbside recycling. Instead, most cities have another pickup service or alternative solution for recycling appliances like a garbage disposal. So, before you get rid of your old garbage disposal, look for nearby metal recyclers by entering your zip code and metal recycling in your browser. N

As an alternative, you can use the Earh911.com recycle location to find out where to take your old garbage disposal as scrap metal. If you cannot find a metal recycler near you, call 1-800-CLEANUP. However, this option is ideal when you have other kitchen appliances you want to get rid of since you’ll be charged a fee depending on the junk they’re picking up. 

How to prepare your old garbage disposal for recycling 

• Use pliers to disconnect the power cable from your old garbage disposal
• Open the garbage disposal to access the motor and check what its windings are made of. 
• If the motor’s windings are copper, you can scrape the motor, but if they are aluminum, leave them as they are. 
• Loosen the screws of your garbage disposal and disassemble it. 
• Separate the metal and plastic components of your garbage disposal and clean them thoroughly. 
• After completing the steps above, your garbage disposal is now ready for recycling. You can even sell the metal components to a local metal scrap dealer and make some money in the process. 

4. Use it for Compost shredding 

One of the most creative ways to reuse an old garbage disposal is to convert it into a compost shredder for leaves, food waste, and other soft items. Besides, composting is more eco-friendly than garbage disposal, when it comes to getting rid of kitchen waste. 

However, to do that, you need to connect the mouth of the disposal to a large pipe and use the dishwasher input to supply running water to the appliance while leaves are thrown down the mount. 

The only issue with this method is that the garbage disposal will be easily blocked if you put leaves and other wrong types of food waste into the unit. For that, it’s important to run plenty of water when throwing compost items down the disposal. 

The outlet of the garbage disposal should then be connected to the tank that will hold the compost. However, it’s crucial to ensure that the tank has many holes to drain the water from the shredded leaves. 

Conclusion 

If you have been using your garbage disposal for more than 15 years, it’s about time you upgrade to the best garbage disposal in the market today. And as you have seen, there are a few ways to get rid of the old garbage disposal. For instance, you can either sell it, donate it, use it as a compost shredder, or even recycle it, especially if it’s not working anymore.