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Can You Put Spaghetti in a Garbage Disposal?

Spaghetti plated in a spiral on a white plate with a basil garnish

It is a quick and easy meal to make. Just boil some water, add some spaghetti noodles and then create your masterpiece of a meat sauce. Simple, easy, and delicious. Spaghetti is a family favorite for a majority of people but for some reason, there will be leftovers that can’t go in the fridge for another day.

If you have a garbage disposal under your sink, it is tempting to just toss the spaghetti down the drain and let the disposal deal with it. That may not be a good idea. To find out why it isn’t just continue to read our article. It has the information you need to know so you do not make a garbage disposal mistake.

Even Double Sinks Have Problems

over head view of a double, stainless steel sink.

When you decide to use your garbage disposal to rid yourself of unwanted spaghetti, having a double sink won’t help you. Both sides of your dual sinks will clog up and keep the water from draining.

This problem arises because spaghetti is pasta and when water and pasta get together the former is absorbed by the latter. When spaghetti absorbs water, it expands and gets larger. Just like all pasta when it gets larger it becomes a drain problem.

Not just a problem for the drain but also for the garbage disposal’s blades. Those long spaghetti noodles can wrap themselves around the blades and cause a clog in the disposal itself or hinder those blades from doing their job.

Either way, you will have to clean out the disposal or unclog your drain. The best advice to give you is to not throw any spaghetti into your garbage disposal. You are just asking for trouble.

How to Get Rid of Leftover Spaghetti

Spaghetti being scraped from a plate with a white fork into a garbage can lined with a white bag.

The most common answer is to give it to your dog but then the spices in the sauce may not be good for him or her. Or if you do not want them to eat human food, this is not the time to start a new habit.

You can put it in your compost pile and let nature take its course. or the easiest method is to put the spaghetti inside a plastic bag and seal it uptight. Then toss it in the trash.

Some Final Words

Stack of dirty plated and bowls covered in spaghetti noodles

Just remember when you have doubts about spaghetti, it is also pasta and pasta should not be put through your garbage disposal. Throw it in a secure trash bin so your pets and other animals do not get to it.

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