Taking care of your garbage disposal is arguably one of the most important things that you can do for your kitchen. After all, taking care of your garbage disposal will make sure that you will be able dispose of any kind of food waste or debris leftover from your meals without too much of a hassle.

So what is the best way to maintain your garbage disposal and make sure that it stays in good working condition for years to come?

Now, many of us may think that a garbage disposal is installed, and after that we just use it. While there are several best garbage disposals you can choose to replace your current one, it is easy to keep your garbage disposal working for years by cleaning it regularly. It simply maintains itself as long as we make sure to run it regularly until it craps out. Then, we just replace it with a new model and call it a day’s work. Learn more about garbage disposal do’s and don’ts.

What many of us don’t realize is that it is really simple to clean out your garbage disposal and its smell so that it will last for years, without needing to spend money to replace it. It is easy to find a way to prevent smell if you are still in the market for a new garbage disposal. You may consider one that offers Bio-Shield Antimicrobial Protection. Check out Waste Maid 058 review to see what bio-shield antimicrobial system can do for you. However, if you are looking for some easy ways to clean our garbage disposals, here are effective methods.

How to Clean a Garbage Disposal?

1) Remove Objects From the Drain

The first thing that you will want to do is make sure that you remove any large objects from the disposal. Making sure you manually remove any large objects from the dish disposal will make sure that the blades can work properly. The first thing that you need to do for safety is to make sure that the fuse that is attached to the disposal is shut off, to make sure that you could prevent any damage or accidents.

Then, you can use some tongs or pliers to grab anything that could be blocking your drain. Try not to use your hand if at all possible.

Related: Things You Can and Can’t Put Down a Garbage Disposal

2) Flush out the Garbage Disposal

One of the easiest ways that you can clean out your garbage disposal regularly, is to make sure that you run it while you leave the sink on. You can do this a few times a week to keep the disposal clear.

We recommend running your sink for at least one minute with hot water, while the garbage disposal is running. Add a drop of dish soap to it. The hot water and soap will help break up any grease or fat that is sitting in the disposal. You can also run cold water to help solidify any other objects that may be in the drain. The cold water can help bind chunks of debris so that it is easier for your disposal to grind it up.

3) Clean Garbage Disposal with Salt and Ice

Using ice and rock salt combined is a great way to sharpen the blades within your disposal, and also a great way to bind tough debris together so that it is easier for your disposal to grind it up.

Pour two cups of ice and one cup of rock salt into your drain and grind them up. It’s a great way to sharpen your blades and clear out your disposal.

4) Use a Scrub Brush

Another simple and easy way to clean out your disposal is to scrub it out manually. All you need to do is grab a scrub brush or a hard-bristled toothbrush and you can start scrubbing out the interior of your garbage disposal. Make sure to remove the cover from the top of your disposal before you start cleaning, so you can clean your drain out thoroughly.

5) Clean Smelly Garbage Disposal with Citrus  

Citrus is another great way to clean your drain and make sure that it doesn’t smell after hundreds of uses. All you need to do is take any orange, lemon, or lime slices or peels that you may have leftover, and throw them into the drain and grind them up. The citrus is a great way to cleanse the blades, and will also bring a fresh scent to the disposal and your kitchen.

6) Clean Smelly Garbage Disposal with Baking Soda and Vinegar 

Baking soda and vinegar is another excellent way to purify your garbage disposal and make it smell wonderful too. All you need is ½ cup of baking soda and one cup of white vinegar. Pour both of them into your drain, and let the combination of the two of them sit for 5-10 minutes. It will start bubbling, which is a sign of it cleaning your blades. Then, run hot water down the garbage disposal. Boiling water works well too.

7) Clean Garbage Disposal with Liquid Chlorine and Bleach

Bleach can be a great way to clean out your disposal, but you need to use it sparsely. Overuse can actually lead to damaging or clogging your drain. Make sure that you dilute about a tbsp of liquid chlorine bleach in an entire gallon of water. Pour the solution into the disposal and let it run for a few minutes, then turn the sink on as hot as it will go, turn on the garbage disposal, and let it run several minutes to make sure that all of the bleach makes it through the drain.

Using These Methods

Using these methods will help you keep your garbage disposal clean, have it smelling fresh, and make sure that it works well for years to come.