No matter how diligent you are in cleaning and maintaining your garbage disposal, it will still become smelly over time. Cleaning your garbage disposal is not an easy task either, as it requires scraping and deodorizing it while ensuring that the parts are all working. Otherwise, you have to hire a professional plumber to help you with your plumbing system issues.
Garbage disposal is often overlooked but is also one of the most important parts of your kitchen. Of course, make sure to clean and deodorize it to ensure a longer lifespan and your home smelling good and fresh. Garbage disposals are designed to break down food particles to pass through the drain system as hassle-free as possible.
How to clean your garbage disposal
Thankfully, cleaning and making your garbage disposal look and smell good is not as hard as you think. Also, you can use natural remedies to get rid of the bad garbage disposal smells. Without further ado, here are tips on cleaning your garbage disposal.
Turn on the water first.
Before starting the cleaning process, make sure to turn on the water to clear the pipes of any debris. If you have to pull out large trash in the chamber, wear rubber gloves.
Use ice to clean the garbage disposal.
You can try cleaning your garbage disposal by grinding ice to scour the disposal chamber. Place a few cups of ice into the disposal chamber. Turn on the cold water and disposal until the ice is gone. Using hot water can be as effective, but manufacturers often do not recommend this when running the disposal. You can also add rock salt with ice for better garbage disposal cleaning results.
Avoid using abrasive liquids and bleach.
As much as possible, avoid using ammonia or any other corrosive cleaning products on your garbage disposal. Never flush down food remnants in the garbage disposal. Instead, you can use alternative homemade products to maintain your disposals, such as baking soda, citrus, and vinegar.
Use natural remedies to get rid of garbage disposal odors.
Natural remedies are environment-friendly and cheaper alternatives to clean your garbage disposal. Some popular garbage disposal cleaning alternatives include:
- Citrus contains citric acid that helps disinfect the disposal system’s blades and walls, plus it makes the bad smell disappear. Get orange or lemon peels, grind them and pour the ground peels after cleaning the disposal.
- Baking soda – When mixed with vinegar, it results in a chemical reaction that causes particles to loosen up and lessen the annoying stench. Pour a half cup of vinegar and baking soda into the disposal. Let it fizzle and wait for about five minutes to settle down. Then pour hot water to cleanse the system thoroughly.
- Mouthwash – Not only can it freshen your breath, but it can also clean your garbage disposal system. Pour mouthwash first, then follow up with hot water.
These are some useful tips to clean your garbage disposal without spending too much on it. But if all else fails (which rarely happens anyway), make sure to contact a professional plumber in Franklin, TN, for your garbage disposal repair and maintenance needs.
