How To Clean Your Garbage Disposal

Your garbage disposal is one of the most unsung heroes in your kitchen. It is a  convenient way to get rid of food scraps and keep your sink drains flowing smoothly. While most of the chopped-up food flows down the drain, some pieces can get left behind. Over time, they can start to smell or even allow bacteria and mold grow in your sink. But you can easily prevent smells and other risks with regular cleaning. Here are the basics of how to clean your garbage disposal. Plus, we look at how often to clean your disposal and offer other tips to keep your sink drain flowing smoothly.

How To Clean a Garbage Disposal

Cleaning your garbage disposal is an important part of maintaining a healthy kitchen. Not only does it help to keep your sink and drain free from clogs, but it also helps to prevent bad odors from building up in the pipes. Fortunately, cleaning your garbage disposal doesn’t have to be a difficult task. With just a few simple steps, you can easily keep your garbage disposal clean and running smoothly.

1. Unplug the Disposal

Before you can start cleaning the disposal, you need to disconnect the power to prevent accidents. To disconnect the power, you can either pull the plug that is typically connected to an outlet under the sink or turn off the electricity from the breaker box. It’s important to double-check that you have disconnected the right circuit by attempting to turn on the garbage disposal before starting to clean it.

2. Remove and Clean the Splash Guard

The rubber splash guard prevents water from splashing out of the sink when washing dishes. Also known as a gasket or baffle, it can trap food particles and grease over time.

Put the splash guard out of the drain and scrub it vigorously with an old toothbrush or scrub brush to remove dirt and grime. Pay particular attention to the underside of the guard. To remove stubborn debris or slime, soak it in vinegar and baking soda for half an hour.

After the grime is gone, wash it in hot soapy water. Once the guard is clean, set it aside.

3. Remove Food and Debris

Using a flashlight, look inside the disposal for food particles that escaped the grinder. Use tongs or pliers to carefully remove anything you find.

Even though the disposal is unplugged, you should never put your hand down the drain. The blades are still very sharp and can cause injury.

4. Clean With Baking Soda and Vinegar

Next, start cleaning the garbage disposal with baking soda. Pour in a cup and wait for at least 30 minutes. The soda will help deodorize the disposal.

Then pour in a cup of vinegar. Together, they will start foaming and help clean out the garbage disposal. While you are waiting for the foaming to stop, boil a few gallons of water on the stove.

Carefully pour the boiling water down the drain to rinse away all the loosened dirt and debris.

5. Replace the Guard and Plug It Back In

Once the garbage disposal is clean and rinsed, replace the splash guard and plug it back in. Make sure to keep your hands away from the drain, turn on the water, and test that the disposal works properly.

6. Rinse the Drain With Citrus Fruit

Finally, do a citrus rinse to help kill bacteria and keep your garbage disposal smelling fresh longer. Cut a lemon or lime into quarters, then toss the chunks into the drain. You could use just citrus peels if you want, but chunks of fruit are fine too.

Switch on the disposal and let it run for ten to fifteen sections to break up the fruit. Leave the citrus fruit in the drain for at least half an hour. For the best results, wait overnight. Then turn on the water and finish grinding up the fruit.

While you can use any citrus, it’s a great way to get rid of lemons and limes that are a week or two old. Plus, you can do this in between garbage disposal cleanings to prevent smells.

Why Do You Need To Clean Your Garbage Disposal?

Cleaning your garbage disposal is an important part of kitchen maintenance. Without regular cleaning, food particles and grease can build up in the grinding chamber and splash guard, leading to unpleasant odors and potentially hazardous bacteria growth. In addition, stringy vegetables like celery or onion skins can leave behind a slimy residue that the disposal can’t break down. This residue can also encourage bacteria growth and cause bad smells.

Regularly cleaning your garbage disposal helps keep it running smoothly and prevents any buildup of food particles or grease. It’s easy to do with just baking soda and white vinegar, but you can also clean a garbage disposal with ice or even salt. Citrus fruits like lemons, limes, or oranges will also help kill bacteria and keep smells at bay.

Alternate Methods for Cleaning a Garbage Disposal

Ice Cubes

The best alternative to cleaning your garbage disposal is to use a few handfuls of ice cubes. The grinding action will clean the blades, while the ice chunks help loosen food bits stuck in the corners of the disposal.

Keep the faucet off and place a handful of ice in the disposal. Turn it on, then carefully add more ice to the drain for about a minute. Then wait for all the ice to grind up. Once all the ice is pulverized, turn on the cold water and let it run for two minutes.

For added scrubbing power, add a cup of kosher salt with the first handful of ice. While you can use regular table salt, kosher salt is larger and works better to scrub the inside of the unit.

To prevent odors, toss in a lemon or lime wedge and grind it for a few seconds. For the best results, let it sit overnight before grinding it up completely and risings the drain with fresh water.

Rock Salt

Another option is to use rock salt. However, make sure it is only rock salt. Ice-melting additives contain chemicals that are not safe to use in the kitchen. Like ice, the salt chunks clean the blades and help move food bits down the drain.

With the water off, pour a cup of rock salt down the drain and turn the disposal on. Slowly sprinkle into two more cups of rock salt into the drain, then rinse the drain with hot water for two minutes.

As with any cleaning method, a citrus rinse will help eliminate odors and kill mold and bacteria.

When To Call in the Pros

If these cleaning methods don’t work for you and you still have bad smells coming from your disposal, it’s time to call in a plumber for deep cleaning.

A professional will have the knowledge and equipment to find the problem and fix it—safely. A plumber may even need to disconnect pipes to locate the source of the bad smells and remedy the problem.

As always, we encourage you to do your homework on any professional you hire to work in your home. In this case, make sure you find a reputable plumber. This is not the time to bargain hunt!

A skilled pro will have your garbage disposal working (and smelling great) in no time.

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