Garbage disposal units make cleaning the kitchen a breeze. They save room in your trash can and prevent yucky smells from lingering inside of it as well. Instead of having to toss leftover food items in your trashcan, you can simply send them down the disposal!
It’s a wonderful tool to have in any kitchen, but if not taken care of properly, your garbage disposal can become just as yucky and smelly as an overflowing trashcan. Just like with any other kitchen appliance, there comes a time when you’ll need to know the best way to clean garbage disposal parts.
Before you begin to tackle this task, be sure to have a few different ways to clean it properly in mind. There are a few great ways to clean your garbage disposal, so it’s best to try some out and find which one works best for you! To get started, continue reading below!
Here are several different ways to clean your garbage disposal like a pro!
1. Baking Soda and White Vinegar
Baking soda and white vinegar are two common household cleaning items that are both natural yet efficient. To clean your disposal with these two ingredients, you’ll first want to take 1/2 a cup of baking soda and pour it down the disposal.
Next, take 1 cup of white vinegar and pour it down the disposal as well. The mixture will begin to fizz up, which you’ll want to allow for a few minutes. As the mixture fizzes, boil some water on the stove.
Once the water is boiling, pour it down the disposal to wash the baking soda, white vinegar, and all those yucky smells away.
2. Lemon and Ice
The lemon and ice technique is simple and doesn’t require as much work. To clean your disposal with lemon and ice, you will first need to cut a lemon up into smaller pieces. Then, place a few ice cubes in the disposal.
Top the ice cubes with the lemon pieces. Run the cold water and then turn the disposal on. As the garbage disposal grinds the ice cubes up, the blades will sharpen.
The lemon pieces will help clean the disposal and leave a fresh clean scent behind.
3. Lemon and Vinegar Ice
If you’re looking for a fast and simple way to quickly clean your garbage disposal with minimal effort, then lemon and vinegar ice cubes are a wonderful option. This technique does take a few moments to prep, but once you create your ice cubes, you won’t have to worry about prepping again for a while.
First, take a lemon and cut it up into small pieces. Place these lemon pieces into an ice cube tray. Fill the ice cube tray sections with white vinegar and place in the freezer.
When it’s time to give your disposal a good cleaning, you can simply grab a few ice cubes from the tray, place them in the disposal, and turn it on. The ice cubes will sharpen blades and clean at the same time.
4. Lemon, Ice, and Salt
Lemon, ice, and salt are another wonderful cleaning combination for your garbage disposal. First, you’ll want to place about 2 cups of ice cups in the disposal. Then, pour 1 cup of salt over the ice cubes. Coarse sea salt or rock salt are both wonderful options.
Take 1/2 a lemon and place it into the disposal as well. Run the cold water and turn the disposal on. Allow the garbage disposal to remain on until all of the ice cubes are ground up.
The end result is a fresh and clean garbage disposal!
5. Remove the Cap and Hand Clean
There are times when simply placing cleaning solutions inside the disposal can’t get the job done. If your garbage disposal is past being able to clean in these manners, then you’ll need to remove the cap and hand clean it.
The cap of the garbage disposal, located inside your sink, can easily be removed. Place your fingers in the cap and pull up to remove it. Remember to not place your fingers down inside the disposal as the blades are sharp.
Once you remove the cap, you’ll have a better look at the blades and the inside of the disposal. You can then use a toothbrush with dish soap or a baking soda/white vinegar paste to clean the blades and the inside of the disposal. When done, replace the cap, and give it a good rinse with cold water.
6. Only Place Allowed Items Inside
Want to keep your garbage disposal clean for months to come? The best way to ensure your garbage disposal stays clean after cleaning it is to only place allowed items inside of it. Not everything can go down a garbage disposal, and many things will cause harm to it.
The garbage disposal is made to grind up leftover food scraps. Avoid placing animal bones, fat (oil or grease), plastic, and paper. Also, keep in mind that some food items such as spaghetti should be avoided as well because it expands when wet, causing a clog.
7. Call a Professional When Clogged
In some situations, the garbage disposal can become clogged. A clogged disposal can create plenty of foul odors and cause grime to build up inside of it. When this happens, even a good cleaning can’t fix the problem.
The best thing to do when encountering a clogged garbage disposal unit is to contact the professionals.
What’s Your Favorite Best Way to Clean Garbage Disposal Units?
There isn’t one best way to clean your garbage disposal as the best cleaning technique depends on the specific condition of the disposal or situation. Luckily, there are a few options to choose from.
What’s your favorite best way to clean garbage disposal units? Try a few of these listed above and find which one works best for you!
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