Top Three Ways To Clean Your Garbage Disposal

A garbage disposal sees a lot of waste during its lifespan. Sometimes debris and garbage can get stuck inside the blades, making a nasty smell arise from your sink. Cleaning a garbage disposal can be a little tricky because you can’t just reach your hand down inside and scrub out the problem. Let’s take a look at the top 3 ways to clean your garbage disposal without the use of harsh chemicals.

Baking Soda And Vinegar

1. Sprinkly ½ a cup of baking soda down into your drain.
2. Pour 1 cup of vinegar down on top of the baking soda in the drain.
3. Let it foam and fiz for a while, removing all of the gunk out of the drain.
4. While it is foaming and fizzing, put on a pot or tea kettle full of water to boil.
5. Pour boiling water down the drain to clean out anything that may have been dislodged by the chemical reaction.

Lemon Or Lime

1. Cut a lemon or lime in half.
2. Add one half of the fruit to the garbage disposal drain.
3. Turn on the faucet so there is a steady stream of water going down the drain.
4. Turn on the garbage disposal and grind up the lemon or lime.
5. After first half is ground up, add the second half and repeat. The fruit acids will help to clean the blades and the fruit will leave your disposal smelling fresh and clean.

Ice And Salt

1. Fill up your garbage disposal with about two cups of ice cubes.
2. Add a cup of salt on top of the ice (preferably some coarse salt like rock salt or sea salt).
3. Turn on the faucet so that there is a steady stream of cold water.
4. Run the garbage disposal until all the ice is gone. This will help remove any gunk from the grinding blades and mechanisms.

If you suspect that your drains are clogged, or one of these methods does not solve the problem, it is best to call a professional. A garbage disposal can be dangerous, so don’t make a safety mistake. If you are thinking about remodeling your kitchen to include a garbage disposal, be sure to give Cardigan Kitchens and Bath a call and we would be happy to help you with all your remodeling needs.