Garbage disposals are an often overlooked part of our house and they can be pretty filthy. If neglected for too long they will start to smell pretty bad. Deep cleaning your garbage disposal will help keep it smelling fresh and working well. It may seem like a lot of steps but as long as you keep up with it, it won’t take long at all.
Deep Cleaning Your Garbage Disposal
What you need:
- White Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Citrus Peels
- Castile Soap (I use Dr. Bronner’s which I get from Thrive Market)
- Old Toothbrush
Directions:
- Clean the sink hole cover with hot soapy water. You may want to use an old tooth brush to get to all the parts. If you haven’t done this in awhile, or ever, be prepared to be grossed out! When you are done, rinse well with hot water.
- Next, pour some baking soda in the drain. I use around half a cup. Follow with vinegar, about twice as much as the baking soda. This is just breaking up clogs, the reaction doesn’t clean but it does help break things up.
- Run some hot water again to finish breaking up all of the gunk.
- Now is the part that will help get your garbage disposal smelling nice and clean. Cut up some citrus peels. I like to keep mine in the freezer for when I need them. Put the peels in the garbage disposal and run it. With water running, of course!
This should leave your garbage disposal clean and smelling fresh! It’s a great way to keep your kitchen smelling good and to use up leftover citrus peels. You can also put them in ice cube trays with vinegar and freeze them. These cubes also help sharpen the garbage disposal blades.
Have you ever deep cleaned your garbage disposal? Let’s be honest, how bad was it really? I hadn’t done mine in awhile so it wasn’t pretty.
Don’t forget to check back often for more cleaning tips. And check out my DIY cleaning board on Pinterest for more great ideas.
Honestly, I have never cleaned my disposal. I guess I should. I love using old toothbrushes to clean everything!
You may find some lovely surprises! haha I don’t do mine often enough.
Baking soda and vinegar is an amazing combination that will clean almost anything!’
If used separately. Together vinegar and baking soda just make some fizz. 🙂
You read my mind… ! I really need to do this. My kitchen has kind of a permafunk smell going on and it’s from the disposal. The best part is I have all the ingredients needed. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Glad I had good timing! Can’t wait it here if it helps.
You know, I’m 30 (almost 31) years old and have never once used a garbage disposal in my life. Growing up they were far more common in the US and still are to this day, though their popularity has spread in recent years in Canada. This is great to tuck away for future reference if I do get one of my own some day. Thank you for sharing, dear gal!
Big hugs,
? Jessica
*PS* Thank you as well very much for your wonderfully nice comment on my interview post with CiCi. It’s really cool that you’re in the 5’2″ club as well! 🙂
Even though we have one I still scrap as much food as possible into the trash and don’t use it a lot. But it still gets smelly, ha. I didn’t know they hadn’t been as common in other places.
I love the new series! Thanks for coming by, Jessica! Yay for all of us short vintage wearing girls! 🙂
Every time I use a lemon or lime in the kitchen, instead of throwing it away I put it next to the sink, chop it up, and add it to the garbage disposal after I do dishes. It makes the whole kitchen smell amazing!
Doesn’t it?! I love the smell of citrus in my kitchen, it smells so fresh and cheery.
Cleaning my garbage disposal was part of my “to do” list. Unfortunately this list was lost somewhere and I remember clearing it after 4 months using. It was gross. I put some essential oil instead of citrus peels. It works, too. You should try it. Greetings!
I’ve done that before. I like the peels because the oils in them helps clean but EOs work in a pinch. 🙂
I am going to try it. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Greets!
Hope it works well for you!