How To Clean Your Garbage Disposal

A garbage disposal handles a lot of leftovers in a day, and a thin film of grease, coffee grounds, and food scraps ends up on the grinding chamber and the rubber splash guard. That film is what you smell when the kitchen sink starts to turn sour. The fix takes a few minutes and two things you probably already have in the pantry.

Why a disposal starts to smell

Food does not vanish when it is ground up. Fine particles cling to the underside of the splash guard and to the walls of the drain just past the blades, and that warm, damp space is a good place for bacteria to grow. Greasy scraps make it worse because grease coats everything it touches and holds odors in place. Hard water can leave mineral scale in the drain as well, which gives the film something rough to grip. The longer it sits, the stronger the smell gets, which is why a quick clean every so often beats a big rescue later.

The baking soda and vinegar clean

Start with safety. Switch the disposal off at the wall before you do anything else, and never put your hand inside a disposal, even when it is off. If a fork or a bottle cap has dropped in, pull it out with tongs or long-nosed pliers instead. Once the sink is clear, the clean itself is simple.

• Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into the garbage disposal.
• Pour in 1/2 cup of vinegar next. It will fizz and foam, and that is exactly what you want.
• Place the sink stopper or another cover over the drain and leave it for 3 to 5 minutes so the fizz can loosen the film.
• Remove the stopper, turn the hot water on, then switch the disposal on and let it run while the hot water flushes everything down the line.

Repeat the process as needed. A monthly routine is plenty for many kitchens, and a household that cooks every night may want to do it more often. If you like a fresher scent afterward, grind a few strips of lemon or orange peel with cold water running.

Habits that keep it fresh

What goes down the drain matters more than how often you clean it. A few small habits will keep the smell from coming back so quickly.

• Run cold water before, during, and for about 15 seconds after each use so scraps travel all the way out of the drain instead of settling in it.
• Scrape plates into the trash first, especially fatty trimmings, bones, and stringy peels such as celery or corn husks.
• Never pour cooking grease or oil down the sink. Let it cool, pour it into a can, and put the can in the trash.
• Keep coffee grounds, pasta, and rice out of the disposal. They clump or swell into a paste that clings to the pipe.
• Do not mix vinegar with bleach or other drain products. Stick to one cleaner at a time and rinse well between them.

When the smell is a sign of something else

If the odor returns within a day or two of cleaning, the trouble may sit farther down the line. A partial clog in the drain, a slow sink that gurgles as it empties, or standing water that will not drop all point past the disposal itself. So does a unit that hums but will not spin, a puddle under the cabinet, or a reset button that keeps tripping. Those are not cleaning jobs, and forcing them with stronger chemicals usually makes the situation worse for the pipes.

If your kitchen sink keeps smelling, drains slowly, or backs up after you have cleaned the disposal, call Allied Plumbing Air & Electric in Springdale on (479) 278-4508 and describe what you are seeing. Allied serves homes across Northwest Arkansas and Northeast Oklahoma.