How to Clean Your Garbage Disposal
DIY and professional solutions to stinky, greasy, dirty garbage disposals.
A garbage disposal is a really nice kitchen appliance to have. It saves you from having to choose between scraps stinking up your trash can or clogging up your pipes. However, even if you are very careful about what kinds of foods you put down the disposal, you may still end up with odor problems. Here are some garbage disposal cleaning tips that should help.
Flush with Hot Soapy Water
One of the most common causes of odors in the garbage disposal and in the pipes connected to it is congealed grease. Even if you know never to pour liquid grease down the garbage disposal, a little bit of grease will sneak down the drain whenever you wash greasy dishes. You can help flush this grease away before it has a chance to build up by periodically flushing the unit. Simply fill the sink with a few inches of hot soapy water, then pull the plug and turn on your garbage disposal.
Grind Ice and Salt
Food can cause odor problems when it adheres to the blades of your garbage disposal. To clean and sharpen your blades, pour two cups of ice into the unit followed by one cup of rock salt. Run cold water and the garbage disposal until the ice and salt is all gone.
Scrub the Splashguard
Many nasty odors as well as germs can hide on the rubber skirt or splashguard between the bottom of the sink and the top of the garbage disposal. Get an old toothbrush and squirt some grease-fighting dish soap or other degreasing cleaner onto it. Then give your splashguard a good scrubbing. Don’t forget to scrub the back of the splashguard too.
Odor-Busting Options
After cleaning your garbage disposal to remove the source of bad odors, you can also give it a pleasant odor with one of these options:
- Citrus peels
- Baking soda & vinegar
- Diluted bleach
- Borax
Get Professional Help
If your garbage disposal seems to have a large piece of debris caught in it, the blades won’t move at all, or it makes horrible noises every time you use it, consider calling in a professional repairman. At Authorized Appliance Repair, we can take your garbage disposal apart to remove anything caught inside it and make any necessary repairs. We can also help you install a brand-new garbage disposal if needed.
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