How to clean garbage disposal

Garbage disposal is one of the essential things to have in your kitchen. Like any appliance, it needs to be cleaned periodically, or it could collect smell and breed ground for mould or harmful bacteria. Read on to discover how you can clean your garbage disposal.

Steps for Deep Cleaning a Garbage Disposal

Deep cleaning garbage disposal is easy and only requires natural remedies that you can find in your home. These include; table salt, vinegar, lemon peels, and baking soda. It is recommended that you use natural ingredients while cleaning your garbage disposal as chemical cleaners mostly corrode the metal parts of this useful appliance.

Cut the power

The first and vital step to cleaning your garbage disposal is to disconnect the power by pulling the plug connected to the sink's outlet. To ensure you have disconnected your appliance, attempt to turn it on before you the cleaning begins.

Clean the gasket

The gasket is also referred to as a baffle or a splash guard. Use a lot of dish detergent, a scrubbing brush or a toothbrush to thoroughly clean it as it mostly traps grease and food particles. Pay more attention to the underneath to ensure you clear any slime or debris. With the gasket removed, use a flashlight to check if there are any food particles in the grinder of the disposal. Use pliers or tongs to remove them. You should never use your hands to do this task as the blades of the disposal are still sharp despite not being in motion.

Go in with vinegar and baking soda

Pour half a cup of baking soda into the garbage disposal and leave it for 30 minutes so it can deodorize the appliance. After that, go in with a cup of vinegar which will produce bubbles up into the sink. Wait for at least three minutes and use hot water to rinse the disposal.

Clean the blades with salt and ice

Ice and salt work as an effective scrub to clean the blades of your disposal and get away with any buildup. To clean them, reconnect the power of your disposal and pour two cups of ice in. After adding ice, add one cup of salt on top of it and run cold water from your tap. Immediately turn on the garbage disposal and let the water and the disposal run till all the ice is ground up.

Freshen the disposal with lemon peels

The last step is to freshen your disposal with any citrus-like lemon peels. To do this, stuff lemon peels into the appliance, run cold water and power the disposal on. This will leave your disposal with a pleasantly fruity scent.

Conclusion

There are several techniques you can apply when cleaning your garbage disposal, depending on the ingredients and tools you have. The method mentioned above is a common way of deep cleaning your disposal, leaving you with a clean and fresh-smelling appliance.

FAQs

How often should I clean my garbage disposal?

Your disposal should be cleaned at least once a week and deep-cleaned at least once a fortnight.

Should I use chemicals to clean my disposals?

It is not recommended to use chemicals since they can damage the pipes and blades of your appliance.