Is your garbage disposal a bit gross? Food particles stuck in this helpful household appliance make it a prime zone for mold and bacteria growth. When you notice smells wafting from your garbage disposal, it’s time to take action and prioritize thorough cleaning.
How can you do it safely and effectively without destroying your disposal? Below, you can learn how to clean a garbage disposal so you can say goodbye to awful odors for good!
How to Clean Your Garbage Disposal: A Step-by-Step Guide
Add ‘clean the garbage disposal’ to your regular list of kitchen chores to keep it functioning as it should and smelling far more pleasant! We recommend cleaning it at least once a week. You can take these steps to get started:
1. Find out where the smells come from
Understanding where smells are lurking can be the first step toward giving them their marching orders. In most cases, garbage disposal smells come from inside the pipes, from the plug or stopper, around the blades, and from within the garbage disposal itself.
2. Perform daily cleaning
Just as you might clean your dishes daily, get into the habit of performing basic daily cleaning to keep your disposal functioning and fresh. It can be as simple as plugging the sink drain, half-filling the sink with water, and adding a cup of vinegar and a squirt of dish soap. You can then remove the sink plug and run the disposal unit for around five seconds until the grinding noises even out.
3. Perform weekly cleaning
Daily cleaning can go a long way toward keeping your garbage disposal fresh and clean. You can go one step further by prioritizing weekly deodorizing. Pour half a cup of baking soda into your disposal with one cup of vinegar. Add the vinegar slowly and let the mixture fizz. If you have a double sink, ensure the other side is plugged!
Carefully pour boiling water down the drain to rinse away any debris the fizzy mixture has loosened. Now, fill the drain with two cups of ice and add one cup of coarse rock/sea salt if you have it. Run the cold water and the disposal.
Finally, cut a lemon or lime in half and add the halves to the drain one at a time to deodorize your disposal. Repeat weekly or daily if odors persist until unwanted smells are eliminated.
4. Check and clean each component
Even after thorough daily and weekly cleaning, some disposal owners can discover that odors persist. As frustrating as that is, you may have just overlooked a component in your system. It can be an easy fix!
Clean the baffle/stopper/plug
Whether you call it a baffle, stopper or plug, it’s what sits in the collar of your disposal unit. You can pull it out, rinse it off, and use an old toothbrush or sponge to clean away food waste residue.
Clean the flaps
Scrub down the top and underside of the disposal flaps with a baking soda paste solution on an old toothbrush.
Clean the disposal chamber and blades
Refer to the deodorizing steps above. Vinegar kills salmonella and E. coli and is far safer if it comes flying out of your sink than chemical cleaners. Gritty baking soda, made fizzy with vinegar, helps loosen grime. The ice cube and rock salt combination likewise removes stuck-on debris.
De-purify plumbing drain lines
Pour very hot water down your drains at least once a week to prevent the buildup of smelly pipe-clogging debris. Adding environmentally-friendly drain cleaners monthly, such as BioChoiceES® or Earthworm Family Safe Drain Cleaner, can also prevent odors and clogs.
Signs You Need to Clean Your Garbage Disposal
A foul odor isn’t just the only sign that you need to prioritize garbage disposal cleaning and general maintenance. If you’re experiencing frequent clogs, this can indicate issues with the blades, motor, or other parts.
Slow drains can be another warning sign to look out for. A sluggish drain often means a clog – usually caused by food particles or grease buildup. If you notice strange noises, pay attention. These can often indicate something jammed in the disposal.
General Garbage Disposal Care
When you prioritize cleaning and maintenance, your garbage disposal may last longer than expected. Here are some general tips for everyday care:
- Run cold water with grains like pasta and rice that swell with water
- Run hot water with greasy and fatty food to avoid congelation
- Break down large food items so you don’t have to run the garbage disposal motor for longer than 30 seconds
- Prioritize routine cleaning
- Use strainers and grates to stop large food scraps from going down your drain
Contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing® for Help to Clean a Garbage Disposal
Is your garbage disposal not functioning properly? Persistent odors can indicate underlying issues that require professional attention. Mr. Rooter Plumbing® provides expert solutions to restore your disposal’s performance. Contact us today.
