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How to Clean Your Garbage Disposal

Posted on February 24, 2022 by Melbourne Plumber

Garbage disposals are a great way to deal with organic waste when cleaning the dishes. They use electrical and mechanical muscle to grind down organic matter which can then be easily flushed down your drain. But they do get pretty filthy and sometimes require maintenance.

Almost 100 years ago, an architect named John W. Hammes from Racine, Wisconsin invented the first version of the garbage disposal.  That was a crude version of what we have today.

Cleaning a Modern Garbage Disposal

Items you will need:

1. Half a cup of baking soda
2. One Cup of White Vinegar
3. One Pot of Boiling Water

If you are dealing with a clog, this is a different story. You may need to use a snake or remove the unit altogether. This article is simply about cleaning the unit to prevent it from smelling.

Fist step, pour half a cup of baking soda into the unit and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then, pour in a cup of white vinegar. Let the fizzing action take place for about 4-5 minutes. Then you can take a pot of boiling water and flush it all down.

Sharpening to the Blades

Items you will need:

1. Two Cups of Ice Cubes
2. One Cup of Salt
3. One Fresh Lemon Peel

A trick to keeping the blades sharp is to pour in two cups of ice cubes. Then add a cup of salt. Then you can turn on the cold water and turn on the garbage disposal unit at the same time. This will help clean and sharpen the blades. If the unit is old and the blades are damaged, it may be time to purchase a new one.

Scented Finish

You can finish all this off by adding some lemon peels to the garbage disposal. This will create a temporary but pleasant scent.

Garbage Disposal Purchase and Install

A new garbage disposal can run anywhere from $100-$300 depending on the brand and power of the unit. Any mid-range unit should be sufficient for a family of 2-4 people. You can purchase garbage disposals at any home improvement store such as Home Depot or Lowe’s.

You can install the unit yourself or hire a professional plumber to install it. The plumber may be more expensive than doing it yourself but you are guaranteed to get a quick and proper install and the work is usually guaranteed.

If you are in the Brevard County area of Florida, we would be happy to do your garbage disposal install for you. Just give us a call at 321-725-5996