Prep Your Kitchen Sink and Garbage Disposal for Spring

Does the warm spring weather have you ready to give your house that top-to-bottom cleaning you've wanted to do all winter?

At Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Oneida, we want to give you some tips about how to go about cleaning your sink and garbage disposal. Just because your sink sees lots of soapy water doesn't mean it's clean!

1. Clean Your Sink Thoroughly

There are many ways to clean and sanitize a sink. If this warm weather has you feeling like going above and beyond your normal kitchen sink maintenance, we understand.

To clean your sink thoroughly, you can put a stopper in the drain and fill it with hot, soapy water. Add another disinfectant by pouring in about a cup of bleach and then let this solution sit for about an hour. Alternatively, you can use hydrogen peroxide and/or white vinegar in place of bleach.

After the solution sits for an hour, you can scrub the sink with a new sponge or cloth. If you want, you can use more soap to scrub the sink or use a mixture of baking soda and water.

2. Remove Solids From the Garbage Disposal

To start your garbage disposal maintenance, turn off your disposal's power. Then, remove any larger, solid objects with a pair of tongs or pliers. Do not put your hand in the drain unless absolutely necessary, and double-check that the unit is powered off.

3. Sanitize the Garbage Disposal

Cleaning the garbage disposal in your sink can be done using a few methods depending on your preference. Since you'll have the items on hand from cleaning your sink, this is entirely up to you. You may choose to use the same soapy sponge you used on the sink or a mixture of vinegar and baking soda.

Sponge Method

If you are using a sponge, scrub the baffle thoroughly, top and bottom, making sure you get the film off all gaps and crevices. Rinse and reapply soap to the sponge as necessary.

Then, take the sponge to the grinding chamber. Wipe around the chamber, rinsing the sponge often, until it's no longer pulling up any grime. If you choose, you can use an old toothbrush or scrub brush in place of a sponge.

Baking Soda and Vinegar Method

This method will create a volcano-like effect as seen in many kids' science projects.

Pour about a half-cup of baking soda into your garbage disposal, slowly adding another half-cup of vinegar. Then, cover the drain with the stopper. This will stop the mixture from fizzing up and out into the sink. This fizzing will use friction to clean out the disposal.

After letting the mixture work for a few minutes, remove the stopper and rinse with very hot water while using the garbage disposal.

Ice and Rock Salt Method

Use ice cubes to fill the disposal, then pour a cup of coarse sea salt into the disposal. Run the disposal for several seconds with your sink turned on until there's not been grinding for a few seconds.

Contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing

If you feel you can't clean your drains as thoroughly as you would like, you have a clog or you just want it done by professionals, contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing. Our licensed plumbers will clean your drains using environmentally friendly products so you don't have to worry about any chemical contamination.