Step By Step: Freshening Your Garbage Disposal
You always want your garbage disposal to smell fresh because it’s been smelling bad lately, and if you follow these instructions, then you can have your garbage disposal smelling great afterward.
A bad-smelling garbage disposal tends to be the result of the unit being used too often and never cleaning it properly.
You may be crushing up food in the unit, and the small bits and pieces that are left behind may start to smell. If you don’t run the water while you're using the garbage disposal unit, then more pieces of food will be left behind, leaving a smellier mess. These five suggestions should help to get your garbage disposal smelling clean:
- Thoroughly clean the inside of the garbage disposal.
- Use chemical cleaners
- Use natural remedies
- Use citrus fruits
- Add some vinegar to the unit
Cleaning the Unit- You can thoroughly clean out a garbage disposal unit by scrubbing it inside and out, especially underneath the black rubber part that keeps the food within the garbage disposal unit.
Chemical Cleaners- Although these are not the first recommendation for cleaning a garbage disposal unit, you can use chemical cleaners to get the unit clean and smelling good.
Natural Remedies- These are highly recommended for cleaning garbage disposals, and there are several things you can use that are right in your home or can be picked up at the grocery store.
Citrus Fruits- It’s amazing how much better smelling your garbage disposal will be after you use any kind of citrus fruit to clean out the unit, and you don’t even have to scrub it or anything, simply run the fruits through the unit with hot water.
Vinegar- Adding vinegar to the garbage disposal can give it a fresh smell, especially if you don’t mind the smell of vinegar. Add some hot water to it and rinse it away, and it will leave the unit smelling much better.
Get to Know the Power of Citrus
Citrus fruits are great in salads, unique chicken dishes, and simply for eating as a snack, but what about their cleaning power? Some people use the oil from a citrus fruit for cleaning, especially if you see cleaners that claim they have citrus oil in it.
You can also take the same citrus fruits to clean your garbage disposal unit. There are ways that you can use the citrus fruits to clean your garbage disposal, especially freezing them in ice cubes. Cut up small pieces of citrus fruit, and add them to an ice tray that is filled with water.
Once the ice cubes have frozen, throw them in the garbage disposal and start running it. Keep the disposal running for a while until you hear it no longer making noise, which means it has crushed up everything inside. Having the citrus fruits in the ice will help to sharpen the blades because of the ice cubes, and the citrus will disinfect the inside of the garbage disposal as well as clean it, which will make it smell more fresh and tidy.
The acidity that is found in citrus fruits is what helps them to clean a garbage disposal. Therefore, use the fruits as often as possible, especially since they are a lot cheaper to buy than many chemical cleaners, and you may have some lying around the kitchen that aren't used often for cooking purposes.
Try using natural remedies instead of chemical remedies.
You’ll want natural remedies if you want to keep your garbage disposal clean as well as keep it from being damaged. Using chemicals in your garbage disposal may seem okay, but once the chemicals get past the unit, they have to go down the drain, which can cause problems in the pipes. It’s possible that some chemicals can eventually cause damage to the pipes, especially if they have certain types of acids in them.
It’s always recommended that a person sticks with natural remedies to clean their garbage disposal, especially if it only needs to be disinfected. Use baking soda, vinegar, ice, salt, citrus fruits, and hot water to clean out your garbage disposal unit. You can mix and match the natural remedies to see which one works best for your unit, and you’ll end up with a fresh unit in the end.
Never allow these objects to go into your disposal.
You probably already know that you should stop a knife, fork or even a spoon from going down the garbage disposal unit, but many don’t consider simple things like coffee grounds as something that shouldn’t go into a garbage disposal.
Even potato skins can be damaging to the garbage disposal, clogging it up, and possibly breaking it. You need to know which foods can go into your garbage disposal, but one thing to absolutely avoid is oil, which many pour down the drain without a second thought.
Even if the oil goes down the drain, it has such a long way to go that it may solidify anywhere within the drain, which will then cause a clog when other particles try to pass it. The end result may be a smelly garbage disposal unit that you can’t deodorize because the smell is deep within the pipes.
Make the Call to a Plumber if Necessary
Although you may be considered a DIY person, seek the help of a plumber when you have troubles with your garbage disposal unit that are out of your control, especially since they may leave you unable to use your sink as you should.
A clogged up garbage disposal can also cause other problems within the kitchen, especially with the dishwasher, since the two may have the same drainage system. Your plumber will understand, so call them whenever you need them to get the problem fixed.
Don’t take garbage disposal problems for granted, call your plumber at Lambert Plumbing and Heating Ltd in Vancouver, BC at (604) 734-0890 for reliable service.
