Garbage disposals are one of those appliances you just assume will work every time. Shove debris in there, flip the switch, grind it up and make it go bye-bye! And indeed, that's exactly how it should work. But like any other home appliance, things can go wrong. You can preserve your disposal and give it a long life by giving it proper care and maintenance. What not to put in the disposal First up, don't assume it can chew up anything ...