Smelly Garbage Disposal? This Hack Is So Easy It Basically Fixes Itself
We have all stood in the middle of our kitchen and realized our garbage disposal is not smelling so fresh. You took out the trash and wiped down the counters but there is still a lingering funk that just won't go away. It’s hard to pinpoint that the smell is coming from the sink drain, but it can really stink up the whole room. It is honestly pretty gross but it happens to everyone. The disposal works hard, and thankfully there is a way to make cleaning it super easy.
Start With Ice Cubes
The main trick is surprisingly simple and you likely have everything you need in your freezer right now. You just need to fill your disposal with about two cups of ice cubes. It feels wrong to put something hard down there but the disposal can handle it easily. The ice acts like a scouring pad for the inside of the grinding chamber. As the blades spin, the hard ice knocks off the slime and debris that has built up on the walls over time.
Adding Some Grit To The Mix
To really make this effective you should pour about a cup of coarse salt right on top of the ice cubes before you turn it on. Rock salt is perfect for this, but regular kosher salt works too. The salt adds an abrasive texture that helps scrub the really stubborn gunk off the blades and the sides of the canister. It is basically an exfoliating scrub for your sink plumbing. It cleans out the nooks and crannies that a sponge could never reach.
Add A Fresh Scent
If you want to tackle the odor while you scrub, you can toss in a few peels from a lemon or an orange in. Just make sure you cut them into small pieces first so they don’t jam the machine. The oils in the citrus rinds are powerful natural deodorizers. When the disposal grinds them up it releases that fresh citrusy smell that instantly cuts through the old food odors. It leaves your whole kitchen smelling bright and clean.
Don't Forget The Rubber Splash Guard
While the ice trick handles the inside, you still have to manually check the rubber splash guard. That is the black rubber flap that sits right at the drain opening. I used to ignore this part until I lifted a flap and saw the grime hiding underneath. It gets pretty gross pretty fast. Put on some rubber gloves and scrub the underside of those flaps with a soapy sponge or an old toothbrush. That is often where the worst smells are actually hiding.
The Baking Soda Volcano Option
If you are out of ice or just want a deeper chemical clean, you can use the science fair volcano method. Pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a cup of white vinegar. It will fizz up and expand which helps the mix reach into tight crevices. Let it sit for about ten minutes to break down the bacteria and grease. Then you can just flush it all away with a pot of boiling water for a sanitized finish.
The Most Important Habit
The biggest mistake most of us make is not running the water long enough. After you use the disposal you should keep the cold water running for at least thirty seconds. This pushes all the food particles past the P-trap and into the main sewer line. If you turn the water off too soon, the waste just sits in the pipe and rots. Using plenty of water is the easiest way to prevent smells from coming back next week.
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It is such a relief when you walk into the kitchen and smell like nothing but clean air. This is one of those household tasks that takes less than five minutes to do but makes a huge difference in how your home feels. You do not need expensive cleaners or a plumber to fix this. You just need a little ice and salt to get things back to normal. Give it a try tonight and your kitchen will definitely thank you.
Bliss Donahue-Power
