Your garbage disposal is probably one of the most used appliances in your kitchen. It’s also one of the dirtiest. Over time, it can start to smell bad, which can be a real problem, especially if you have guests over. In this guide, we will show how to clean a stinky garbage disposal and remove that funky smell.
How to Clean a Stinky Garbage Disposal
We get it, you’re ready to finally be rid of the stink. But before we jump into how to clean a garbage disposal, let’s answer the question: “why does my garbage disposal smell bad in the first place”.
Why Does My Disposal Stink?
There’s more than one reason why your garbage disposal might start to stink. The most common culprit is food. When you grind up food in your garbage disposal, it can leave behind particles that rot and cause a bad smell.
Another common reason for a smelly garbage disposal is grease. Grease can build up over time and start to stink. Finally, your garbage disposal can stink if there is something wrong with the pipes. If you think this might be the case, you should call a plumber.
Now that we know why it smells, let’s talk about how to clean a garbage disposal!
#1: Clear Out Disposal Clogs
The first step for how to clean a stinky garbage disposal is to clear out any clogs. If there is food or grease build-up in your disposal, it can cause a bad smell. To clear out a clog, you will need to unplug the disposal and find some tongs or similar device.
Using the tongs, reach into the disposal and remove any foreign objects. Once you have removed the clog, you can rinse it out with some water.
If your garbage disposal is still smelling bad after you’ve cleared out the clog, move on to the next step.
#2: Soak with Soapy Water
The next step is to soak your garbage disposal with soapy water. This will help to remove any grease or food particles that are stuck to the sides of the disposal. To do this, put a plug in the garbage disposal drain and fill up your sink with hot, soapy water. Swish the water around and make suds. Next, unplug the drain, turn on the disposal and turn it on and let it run through the soapy water.
Finally use a scrub brush to clean visible areas to get rid of any excess dirt, crumbs, or grease.
#3: Use Salt and Ice to Clean Disposal
If after the first 2 steps your garbage disposal stinks still, using salt and ice can help to clean your garbage disposal and remove any lingering bad smells. First, pour a cup of ice into the disposal. Then add a half cup of rock salt. Turn on a slow stream of water and let the disposal run for a few minutes.
The combination of salt and ice will help to break down any build-up in the disposal and can help scrub the blades to removed odors. Once you’re done running the ice through, turn the cold water on full blast, and put the stream straight into the disposal to rinse it out.
#4: Disposal Deodorizing Tips
Baking soda and vinegar can help when your disposal smells really bad. First, pour a cup of baking soda into the disposal. Then add a half cup of white vinegar. Let this mixture sit for a few minutes before rinsing it out with cold water.
Lemon is also a great garbage disposal cleaning hack for removing smells. Simply cut up a lemon and put it in the disposal. Turn on the cold water and let the disposal run for a few minutes. The lemon will help to remove any bad smells from the disposal.
More Tips to Keep Odors Away
In addition to cleaning your garbage disposal, there are a few garbage disposal maintenance tricks you can do to keep bad smells away.
First, make sure that you are grinding up food properly. If there are large pieces of food in your disposal, they can cause clogs and bad smells. Second, be sure to run cold water for at least 30 seconds after using your disposal. This will help to flush away any food particles that might be stuck to the sides of the disposal.
Finally, avoid grinding up greasy or starchy foods like potato peels or bacon fat. These can cause bad smells and can also lead to clogs. For more foods not to put in your disposal check out our list of garbage disposal mistakes!
You should now know how to clean a stinky garbage disposal. By following these steps, you should be able to clean your smelly garbage disposal and keep it smelling fresh! If your garbage disposal is still smelling bad after trying these steps, it might be time to call a garbage disposal service team like Solar Appliance to help you out!
