Make note of the things you shouldn’t run down the disposal. While cleaning a disposal is easy, prevention is the best cure. Scrub the disposal where it meets the sink basin as particles can get trapped there. This will help clean the nooks and crannies and help prevent foul odors. Then unplug the drain and turn on the disposal to force the soapy water through the garbage disposal housing.

Once a month, to fill your sink halfway with soapy water. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, then run hot water for several minutes to flush everything through. Pour a cup of vinegar into the disposal and watch the two ingredients foam and bubble. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of baking soda down your garbage disposal. Baking Soda and Vinegar (aka, the Volcano Method) The ice will clean sludge or particles off the disposal’s blades, while the salt helps clean and reduces foul odors. Turn on a small stream of cold water and let the disposal run until you can no longer hear the ice being crushed, then let the water run a little longer. Kosher salt makes an effective abrasive to remove slimy residue. The rinds of the fruit clean the grinding components while the citrus provides a fresh scent.ĭrop a handful of ice cubes into the garbage disposal, followed by a cup of salt. Turn the disposal on and drop the wedges down one at a time while letting a small stream of cool water run. CitrusĬut a citrus fruit (typically a lemon or an orange) into wedges. The most popular are citrus fruits, ice cubes, and vinegar. Products you already have at home can also be very effective in keeping your garbage disposal clean. Product reviews and prices can vary greatly. There are liquids you pour and let sit overnight, foaming products that contain a degreaser, small, biodegradable sticks or tablets you drop in, and various enzyme cleaners. You can purchase commercial products to clean your garbage disposal. Here are a few ways you keep it clean and smelling fresh. But even if you do this faithfully, there can still be times when your garbage disposal may have an unpleasant odor. This will help push all of the waste through the pipes. When you turn on the garbage disposal, make it a habit to let cool water run 15-20 seconds after you turn the disposal off. But garbage disposals can also smell bad. Having a garbage disposal makes it easy to dispose of food waste so you don’t have to throw it into the trash where it can begin to smell bad.

Clean garbage disposal