Many household members treat their garbage disposals as magical kitchen appliances. After all, garbage disposals can help you get rid of unwanted food scraps in no time. These units are self-cleaning but this does not mean you don’t have to take care of them every now and then.
If you want to keep your garbage disposal in a first-class condition, you should clean it. Cleaning your garbage disposal can prevent it from releasing odor and clogging up. It can even improve the unit’s lifespan. This article will tell you why it is important to clean your garbage disposal. It will also provide you with efficient and easy ways to clean garbage disposal.
Quick and Easy Steps on How to Clean Garbage Disposal
Garbage disposals are often overlooked in people’s kitchen cleaning checklist. Yes, you are diligent about food scraps and you run plenty of water when using your garbage disposal. But it is more likely to accumulate smelly food particles over time. That’s why it is important that you clean your garbage disposal. You need to scrape away built-up grime and deodorize the unit. You should also pay attention to the disposal chamber, splash guard, and trap.
It is ideal to clean your garbage disposal every week. Cleaning experts recommend that you also clean your garburator. Especially if you’re heading out of home for a few days. If you do not, you will be leaving the sludge and debris in the machine to rot.
Do you want an easier process of cleaning your garbage disposal? You can use the cleaning materials you use for countertops and kitchen appliances. Here are some of the efficient and easy ways how to clean garbage disposal:
● Cleaning Your Garbage Disposal Chamber
Before you clean your garbage disposal, you should turn on cold water. Make sure to run it to empty the chamber of debris. If you think it sounds like something is stuck, you should turn off the disposal. Wear your rubber gloves and unplug your disposal before putting your hand in the chamber. After that, reach in and pull out any debris.
● Cleaning Garbage Disposal with Ice
Remember to check out the product manual for cleaning instructions. You can often download this from the manufacturer or retailer’s website. There are some that suggest grinding hard materials, like ice, to scour the chamber.
When you clean your garbage disposal with ice, you place a few cups of ice into the chamber. Then, turn on the cold water and then the garbage disposal. You should run both of them until well after the ice is gone. If you need more friction to remove pesky interior crud, you can add salt with the ice. Make sure it is a large rock salt since it is especially effective.
You might see a popular hack that pairs ice cubes with hot water. Professionals and manufacturers do not recommend this method. So, make sure not to use hot water while running your garbage disposal.
● Cleaning Garbage Disposal Using Baking Soda and Vinegar
Baking soda is a common cleaning solution as it acts as both a deodorizer and a scouring agent. Some cleaning experts recommend that you stop the drain and fill the sink with warm water and 1/4 cup of baking soda. Then, remove the stopper while turning on the garbage disposal.
You can also opt to pour both baking soda and distilled white vinegar into the chamber. Make sure to let it sit for a few minutes before turning on the tap and disposal to rinse.
● Cleaning a Smelly Garbage Disposal
Yes, cleaning the garbage disposal chamber will help remove food residue, but take note that it might not get rid of the odors. You should scrub the splash guard and add a natural scent. This will freshen up any lingering smells on your garbage disposal.
● Cleaning a Garbage Disposal Using Lemon
Apart from baking soda and vinegar, lemon can help get rid of garbage disposal smells. You should grind lemon, lime, or other citrus peelings to remove odors. Make sure to grease the grinder blades for a good clean.
If you want to combat disposal stink, you can use either fresh or frozen peels. You can also opt for wedges or quarters of lemon. You can experiment to find what works best with your garbage disposal.
● Cleaning the Garbage Disposal Trap
To help flush debris in the disposal trap, you should run cold water. What if it’s clogged or draining slowly? This means that there are things like coffee grounds or starchy foods wedged in the trap. Make sure to not use traditional chemical drain-cleaning products on your garbage disposal.
You can place a bucket underneath the sink and remove the S-trap or P-trap. Then, clean out any stuck-on debris using a bottle brush and soapy water. Make sure to rinse with clean water before reassembling the disposal trap.
What You Should Not Do When Cleaning Your Garbage Disposal
Cleaning experts tell homeowners not to use commercial garbage disposal cleaners. Several of these kinds of disposal cleaners do not do much to clean residue. There are also some that contain corrosive chemicals. These chemicals can damage the metal components of your garbage disposal. You also never put lye or chemical drain cleaners into your garbage disposal.
Garbage disposals do not have sharp blades. Instead, they have impellers. They use centrifugal force to spin food up against a stationary grind ring. Manufacturers caution against reaching your hands inside the disposal when cleaning it. You are not going to slice off an appendage, but you could still nick yourself.
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