GARBAGE DISPOSAL TIPS
Not only is a clean garbage disposal more efficient at doing its job, it also maximizes its service life and makes your kitchen a more pleasant place to be when there isn’t a foul odor coming from it.
Here’s a quick and simple 3-step procedure you can follow to easily restore cleanliness and effectiveness to your disposal.
- Toss in some ice cubes and salt. Throw a few ice cubes with some rock salt down the drain opening of your garbage disposal. Run the cold water and start your disposal. Don’t worry about the loud noise as it grinds the ice. This process is very effective at scouring and removing grime from the inside surfaces and crevices of your disposal, and it actually sharpens the disposal’s blades for improved performance as it cleans! If you do this procedure faithfully a couple times a month, you could even skip the next two steps.
2. Acid cleanse with vinegar and baking soda. Pour about a cup of baking soda down into the disposal, and let it sit for several hours if possible. Then pour about a cup of vinegar down the disposal. The vinegar will react with the baking soda to create a nice, foamy cleanse.
3. Flush it out with soapy water. Start by plugging the drain. Then fill your sink with a few inches of hot water. Add some dish soap so it’s a little sudsy. Then remove the drain cap and let the warm, soapy water drain through and rinse the disposal, giving it a nice, cleansing bath. Run your cold water tap and turn on the disposal. Let it run ‘til all the suds are gone.
That’s it! But is there still a foul smell? You might be tempted to pour some straight Clorox bleach or something similar down the drain. However, keep in mind that doing so might harm your plumbing. So, if you must, make certain you first dilute your bleach with plenty of water. This bleachy mixture should then kill off any bacteria that might be the culprit causing the unpleasant smell.
You might want to skip the bleach all together and simply toss a lemon into your disposal. Grinding up the lemon with your garbage disposal will freshen your disposal for sure and will likely make your whole kitchen smell fresh and clean!
WHAT FOODS AREN’T SAFE TO PUT DOWN THE DISPOSAL?
Some definite no-nos that should never go down your drain into the disposal are bones, fruit pits and large amounts of egg shells. Other items that might wreak havoc on your disposal include coffee grounds, grease, starchy foods like pasta and rice, and fibrous foods like celery and corn husks. Keeping these items away from your garbage disposal will definitely keep you out of trouble.
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