When you think of appliances in your kitchen that require regular cleaning, your garbage disposal is probably not the first appliance that comes to mind. After all, a garbage disposal is designed with the purpose of getting rid of waste, so why would you have to clean the disposal itself? Well, the fact of the matter is that sometimes pieces of food get stuck in the disposal and drainpipe, in places away from the disposal mechanism. These nooks and crannies are what you have to clean out when you are cleaning the garbage disposal. Sanitizing those areas is also very important, as well. It is vital that you disconnect the power to the garbage disposal before you do any of this, so you are not hurt by the appliance if it were to turn on suddenly during cleaning.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar are two items that you probably have around the house, but did you know they can be used in cleaning your garbage disposal? Using one half cup of baking soda, you put that into the drain. Add one cup of white vinegar and let this sit for several minutes until you complete the mixture with some boiled water.
Ice and Salt
Another way to clean the garbage disposal is with ice. First, put two cups worth of ice down the drain. Then, sprinkle exactly one cup of whatever salt you have available on top of the ice. Turn on the sink’s cold water and active your garbage disposal mechanism before waiting for the disposal to get rid of the ice. This combination of salt and ice shakes the disposal’s grinding parts free of grime as well as debris. The disposal’s blades for cutting up food are also cleaned by this combination and this process, making it even more useful.
Citrus Fruit
This is something that is even less common than the previous methods, but citrus fruit can be used to clean your garbage disposal, as well. The first step is to slice your citrus fruit in clean halves. Limes and lemons work best for this specific purpose. Run the water and turn on the garbage disposal, then toss in one halve, followed by another, into the appliance. Not only will the citrus clean up your drain, but it will eliminate many odors present from previous meals and make your garbage disposal smell much better than it did previously.
Borax
There is yet another method that can clean your garbage disposal well. It is known as Borax, a natural product used for cleaning that is also very safe. This substance is an excellent way to clean your garbage disposal while using a natural product which is also extremely safe and will not jeopardize the safety of anyone who comes into contact with the material. You can clean your garbage disposal with this by dumping at least three but not more than four tablespoons of Borax down the garbage disposal. Leave it alone for approximately one hour. Following that, use extremely hot and/or boiling water to wash away the Borax down the drain.
Preventing Odors from Your Garbage Disposal
Utilizing one or more of the above cleaning methods will definitely prove effective in cleaning and deodorizing your garbage disposal. However, preventing these odors from building up in the first place is still a good idea. One easy way to do this is by cleaning your garbage disposal via one of the aforementioned methods once a week or more frequently, which will prevent odors from building up and also prevent food from getting stuck in the garbage disposal.
Additionally, certain food items including artichokes as well as corn husks should not be tossed down the drain. Food with plenty of starch like potato peels can prevent the disposal’s blades from working optimally due to starch’s stickiness. Anything that could expand while in the drain, like pasta and rice, should also be disposed of in some other way. Coffee grinds are yet one more item to avoid disposing of using your garbage disposal since the drains can get clogged by them.
One final piece of advice is to leave your garbage disposal turned on for a longer period of time whenever you do use it. This can also prevent your garbage disposal from getting dirtier and more odorous.
Choose Beehive Plumbing for All Your Plumbing Repair Needs
If you’re in need of a Utah plumber to repair your sink or garbage disposal, Beehive Plumbing has got you covered! Not only can we can clear out your drain, you can trust us to fix any and all of your plumbing repairs. We are available to you 24/7 for any emergency plumbing services and guarantee 100% of our plumbing repairs! We have years of experience working with the local community and you can trust that we get it right the first time with all of our services no matter how big or small they may be! Contact Beehive Plumbing in Utah today so we can help you as soon as possible. Feel free to call us at (801) 661-8155 for all of your plumbing repair needs today.
