How To Clean Your Garbage Disposal

Your garbage disposal is one of the most convenient unsung heroes in your kitchen. It gives you an easy, quick way to dispose of scraps. But it comes with a downside.

The food you brush off into the garbage disposal can leave bits and pieces behind. Over time, they build up … and even start to smell.

What’s more, these particles don’t just create odors. They can also contribute to the development of mold and other harmful elements.

Thankfully, several easy techniques exist for how to clean your garbage disposal. In this article, we’ll cover several ways to keep your disposal spick and span using supplies you probably already have.

Method 1: Dish Soap

This is the easiest, quickest way to clean your disposal. All you need is dish soap and some water.

1. The disposal should be turned off to start.
2. Plug the drain and fill the sink about half full with water.
3. Add enough dish soap to make suds. You can also add a touch of vinegar.
4. Unplug the drain and turn the disposal on to send the soapy water through the housing.

Method 2: Warm Water and Baking Soda

Most garbage disposals come with a splash guard. The splash guard is the removable rubber piece that covers the drain in the sink. This guard, also known as a baffle or gasket, has many small spaces and cracks where food particles and grease can hide.

While it gets dirty routinely, it’s easy to clean.

1. The disposal should be turned off.
2. Gently remove it from the drain.
3. Next, scrub it down using an old toothbrush and a solution of warm water and baking soda.
4. If you want to make sure it’s really clean, you can also run it through the dishwasher.

Method 3: Ice Cubes and Baking Soda

The walls of your garbage disposal tend to grab food particles and residue. Like the splash guard, the walls are easy to clean.

Ice cubes are completely safe for most disposals and can really help break down the food. To boost the cleaning power, we’ll be adding a mixture of baking soda, bleach, and lemon, which helps kill unpleasant odors.

1. The disposal should be turned off to start.
2. Put about six ice cubes in the disposal.
3. Follow the ice cubes with one tablespoon of baking soda, three slices of lemon, and a teaspoon of bleach.
4. Finally, drop in another six ice cubes.
5. Turn on the disposal, but don’t turn on the running water until the grinding sounds stop. The ice flecks serve to clean the blades in the disposal and loosen any built-up debris. You can add a cup of salt to the ice to amp up the scrubbing power.
6. Once the ice is fully ground, let the motor continue to run and flush the disposal with cold water for 30 seconds.

Method 4: Vinegar and Baking Soda

Baking soda and vinegar are a powerhouse cleaning combo. Together, they create a chemical reaction that can help you get rid of debris and odors.

1. The disposal should be turned off to start.
2. Pour a half-cup of baking soda down the disposal and let it soak for about 30 minutes.
3. Once the soda has had a chance to deodorize the area, pour a cup of vinegar down behind it. A foamy, bubbling liquid will come up into the sink. This reaction is perfectly normal and works to remove the mess trapped in the disposal.
4. When the bubbling has stopped, run hot water down the disposal for 30 seconds.

Bonus Option: Eliminating Odor

After you’ve cleaned your disposal, you can use lemon peels or any other citrus fruit to eliminate any remaining odors.

1. Peel the fruit and stuff the peel into the disposal.
2. Run cold water over it and turn on the machine.
3. Run the disposal with water until the grinding sounds stop.

The oil from the peel will freshen up the sink and the area around it.

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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