Garbage disposals are useful appliances that do a lot of work for us, but they require upkeep. If you’re wondering how to properly maintain your disposal, this article is here to help!
Why Garbage Disposals Are So Important To Your Kitchen
Many people don’t realize how important garbage disposals are until they have to go without one. A kitchen sink without a garbage disposal is not nearly as effective in getting rid of kitchen waste.
Garbage disposals can help grind and remove food waste, including:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meats
- Poultry
- Seafood
- Dairy products
- Bread
- Cereals
- Pasta
However, there are some things you should never put down your garbage disposal, such as:
- Cooking grease or oil
- Coffee grounds
- Popcorn kernels
- Bone
- Silverware
Garbage disposals are an important plumbing feature that many homeowners overlook. Garbage disposals that aren’t properly maintained might end up costing a lot of money in the long run. The easiest approach to minimize blockages and other trash disposal issues is to keep your garbage disposal clean on a regular basis. By cleaning your trash disposal on a regular basis, you may extend the life of your equipment and avoid the need for repairs or replacement.
What’s Making Your Garbage Disposal Smell?
Trash disposals are designed to be convenient, but no one likes smelling garbage. Mold is the most probable cause of the odor if this is the case with your waste disposal. Food particles that are too big might block the drainpipe or become caught beneath the grater or around the machine’s sidewalls. The decomposing food trapped in the wet, dark trash disposal creates the perfect habitat for odorous mold and germs to flourish. As a consequence, harmful spores and rancid smells are produced.
You can keep your trash disposal odor-free (and clean) by cleaning it at least once a week using the appropriate cleaning procedures.
A foul-smelling sink area could be tied to much bigger issues connected to municipal plumbing. For more information., see Common Municipal Plumbing Problems.
Garbage Disposal Odor Removal
If your trash disposal begins smelling like a dumpster, there are many non-hazardous methods to clean it and eliminate any smells. Chemical drain cleaners should be avoided since they may corrode and impair the integrity of your pipes. These are some of the most efficient techniques to get rid of smells from your trash disposal by utilizing items you probably already have around the house.
- Baking soda and vinegar- The acidity of the baking soda and vinegar solution is effective in killing germs such as salmonella and E. coli. Pour 12 cups of baking soda and vinegar down the drain and wait 15 minutes for the mixture to bubble. To keep the solution within the disposal, utilize the sink stopper. Run hot water down the trash disposal for one minute to flush out the solution.
- Citrus peels are thrown down the trash disposal are a popular and refreshing technique to get rid of smells. The citrus oils provide a nice scent that wafts around the kitchen, despite the fact that the peels don’t accomplish much in the way of cleaning.
- If you want to use ice and rock salt to get rid of smells, you’ll need to have electricity connected to your trash disposal. Make careful to turn off the electricity to your disposal unit again before doing any further cleaning. Pour a cup of rock salt down the drain after a dozen or so ice cubes. Turn on the trash disposal while the water is flowing. Allow both to remain on for a minute, or until the ice and salt have scraped away any accumulation.
What To Keep in Mind When Putting Your Garbage Disposal Down
Monitoring what food items you let go down the drain is the greatest method to guarantee your trash disposal is running correctly. Even while trash disposals are wonderful for getting rid of excess food waste, some foods might hurt your machine and cause blockages or damage to the blades. The following are some of the foods that should never be put down the trash disposal:
- Celery and difficult vegetables, for example, are high in fibrous or “stringy” foods.
- Rice or bread-based expandable items.
- Shells of eggs
- Bones and fat from animals
- Materials made, paper, plastic, or metal.
- Cooking fats and oils
Next to the garbage disposal is a kitchen sink drain which can become clogged. Learn how to unclog it in How To Unclog A Kitchen Sink Drain?
How To Maintain A Clean Garbage Disposal
It’s critical to clean your waste disposal thoroughly at least once a week to guarantee it’s in good functioning order. When cleaning or repairing your trash disposal, it’s essential to take correct safety precautions. Here are the procedures to ensure that your waste disposal remains clean (and not stinky!) at all times.
Step 1
Before cleaning, ALWAYS turn off or unplug the electricity to your waste disposal. In most cases, all you have to do is unhook the unit from beneath the sink. If you can’t find an outlet, turn off the circuit breaker that powers the trash disposal.
Step 2
To assist break up and removing whatever foodstuffs are obstructing the drain pipes or the disposal, use an extended cable or a sink auger. Never, ever put your hands down the drain.
Step 3
Allow one minute for a heavy stream of hot water to pour down the drains for regular flushing. This will aid in the reduction and elimination of smells. Alternatively, put approximately a dozen ice cubes in the trash disposal and run it for a minute.
Don’t wait until your trash disposal starts to stink before cleaning it! Your trash disposal is a valuable and convenient item that requires appropriate upkeep and cleaning on a regular basis. Cleaning your drains at least once a week, whether with safe chemicals or by contacting a professional plumbing firm to do hydro-jetting services on your complete plumbing system, is a crucial step in avoiding smells.
A highly qualified plumber can safely and effectively clean your drains. Make sure they are completely licensed and insured and will provide you a free quote for your trash disposal cleaning requirements.
The “how to prevent garbage disposal problems” question may be asked too late. Instead, you made need to learn how to fix a garbage disposal during an emergency.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you maintain a garbage disposal?
A: Keep a garbage disposal sleek and rust-free. Take it out once a week to clean the inside of the disposer, brush off any food that may have accumulated on either side and oil up all moving parts with some WD40.
Should I lubricate my garbage disposal?
A: Yes, you should lubricate your garbage disposal. Garbage disposals are typically hermetically sealed units that operate on an entirely different oil than what is used in a car engine. When this seal breaks down and food particles and other debris get caught inside the unit, it can lead to clogs or even permanent damage to the motor of your garbage disposal. In order to prevent any potential problems with your garbage disposal, use some good old-fashioned silicone grease every six months or so.
How do you keep garbage disposal from clogging?
A: This can be done in a few ways. First, unplugging the toilet and flushing it down the drain is one way to keep from clogging your sink when you use your garbage disposal. Another option is using baking soda and vinegar together as a cleaner that will dissolve grease but not affect water going through it.
Related Tags
- food remains in garbage disposal
- what is safe to put in a garbage disposal
- bleach in garbage disposal
- can you put banana peels in the garbage disposal
- garbage disposal safety