Depending on the type of garbage disposal you have, it can make your kitchen smell awesome or really awful. Not to worry. There are lots of ways to make your garbage disposal smell good again. If you think yours is starting to smell bad, there are some things that you can do right away to get rid of the smell.
How To Get Rid Of Garbage Disposal Smell
Clean the Drain
The first thing you want to do is make sure your garbage disposal is clean. If it’s not, you might have some food or other debris stuck inside the drain. To fix this, use a pipe cleaner or a wire brush to clear out any debris and then run hot water through the drain. This will get rid of the smell as well as any other buildup that might be causing the smell.
Clean the Blades
Garbage disposals are designed to grind up food and other garbage, but if there’s too much food in there and it starts to clog up the blades, it can cause a bad smell. To fix this, turn your disposal on high for about 10 seconds (this will loosen up any gunk that might be in there). Then turn it off and use a brush or pipe cleaner to clear out any extra gunk from inside the blades. Turn on your disposal again and then wipe down the blades with a damp rag or paper towel so they are clean again. This should take care of most of your smells! You can also remove grease build-up by running some hot water through them before using them next time as long as they are not too clogged up!
Clean Out Your Garbage Disposal Every Month (or Once A Year)
If you have used your garbage disposal for an extended period of time without cleaning it out once every month (or once every year), food particles and other debris can get stuck inside and cause a bad smell. To fix this, you can use a long-handled spoon or putty knife to scrape out the food particles that are stuck in the garbage disposal. After you’ve scraped out all of the gunk, run some hot water through it and then wipe it down.
Use Deodorizing Baking Soda
Baking soda is an effective way to remove any smells from your garbage disposal because it absorbs odors that are released from the blades. To use baking soda as a deodorizer, mix one cup of baking soda with one gallon of hot water and then run through your garbage disposal for about five minutes to get rid of any smells caused by food particles or other debris in your disposal. This will also clean out any gunk inside the blades!
Try Vinegar In Your Garbage Disposal? (Actually, Don’t)
Many people have been told that vinegar is a great way to remove smells from your garbage disposal because it contains acetic acid which is similar to vinegar but without its sour flavor. The problem with using vinegar as a deodorizer is that it can corrode metal parts over time, especially if they are rusted or otherwise corroded. If you want something else besides vinegar, try putting lemon juice at your disposal instead! It’s an even better option because lemon juice contains citric acid which is also an effective deodorizer.
Change The Drain Flange
- The first step is to take a look at the drain flange. If you see any cracks or leaks, it’s time to get a new flange.
- Once you have the new drain flange installed, pour some vinegar in your sink and let it sit for about ten minutes. This will help neutralize any organic odor that might be present.
- Then pour some white vinegar into the bottom of your sink and then pour some baking soda into the top of the sink. Let this mixture sit for a minimum of three hours before doing anything else with the disposal itself.
- Next, empty out your garbage disposal and run it with cold water for at least thirty seconds before using it again to keep odors from building up in your garbage disposal unit itself if it is sitting unused for an extended period of time.
- Finally, clean out your garbage disposal each week so that you don’t have to deal with bad smells coming from within your garbage disposal unit itself as well as any buildup on top of it; otherwise, things can get really bad if not dealt with regularly!
Remove The Garbage Disposal Unit
- Clean the area around the unit with a cloth soaked in vinegar.
- Run cold water into the sink and remove all traces of vinegar from the sink.
- Add some baking soda (1/4 cup) to help neutralize any lingering odor in your garbage disposal unit.
- Replace the drain plug, run cold water until it stops running, and then turn on the disposal unit again for a few seconds to flush out any remaining baking soda or vinegar residue inside.
- Turn off and unplug your garbage disposal unit, wipe it down with a damp cloth and let it dry completely before placing back into its spot in your kitchen or bathroom.
- You can also try to use a commercial deodorizer such as Lysol or Febreze to get rid of the garbage disposal smell if you don’t have time to clean it out right away!
Add A Smelly Food Scraps Container
- Place a small container in the disposal, like a coffee can, which you can use to store some food scraps. This will absorb any odors and make your garbage disposal smell better.
- You can also place your used coffee grounds in the garbage disposal. Coffee grounds are a natural deodorizer and will keep the garbage disposal smelling fresh.
- If you have leftover chicken or pork that needs to be used up, add it to your garbage disposal when you are cooking at home. The grease and residue from these foods will help to eliminate any bad odors from your garbage disposal quickly.
- Add some lemon or lime juice into the garbage disposal once or twice per week for an added boost of freshness and cleanliness! This is a great way to keep your kitchen smelling fresh (and not like old food) by adding a little citrus juice into the disposer every now and then! You can also use lemon slices for this purpose as well! Just add them inside the disposer before running it, as this will help freshen up the odor as well!
- If you want something that is more natural but still works effectively, adds some essential oils to your garbage disposal once or twice per week! Essential oils are very potent, so they need to be diluted before using them in any area of your home; however, they do work really well at freshening up odors since they contain powerful antiseptic properties that help kill bacteria and viruses. There are different essential oils you can use for this purpose, depending on your preference and the type of garbage disposal you have. Try lemon, lavender, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, or peppermint oil!
- You can also use vinegar to eliminate any bad odor from your garbage disposal. Just add some white vinegar to the disposal and run it for a few minutes. This will help get rid of any bad smells coming from your garbage disposal because it contains acetic acid, which is a natural disinfectant that kills bacteria and viruses when it comes in contact with them!
- As we mentioned above, citrus fruits are another way to keep your garbage disposer smelling fresh! Just put citrus slices inside the garbage disposal before running it to give your kitchen a fresh scent!
Clean With A Dishwasher Detergent
- If you don’t have a dishwasher, then you can use a little bit of dish soap.
- Add a few drops of lemon juice to the sink and run it for a few minutes.
- Put some baking soda in the garbage disposal and run it for a minute or two until the smell is gone.
- Rinsing your garbage disposal with vinegar will also remove the smell if you just don’t have time to do anything else right away. Just fill up your garbage disposal with water, add some vinegar and run it for about 15 minutes or so until the smell is gone.
- If none of these work, then you might want to consider replacing your garbage disposal unit if it is working properly or at least getting it serviced by a professional because things like this can happen from time to time without warning and in some cases, they are not even fixable at all!
Conclusion
Garbage disposals are a great addition to any kitchen. They make it easier to clean up after meals and can even help you to save some money by replacing your old food disposal unit or installing a new one. But these appliances can also be a source of foul odors if they aren’t properly maintained. There are lots of ways to get rid of the bad smells and keep things smelling fresh. These tips will help you to keep your disposal healthy and smelling fresh.
