If you take care of your garbage disposal the right way, it will last a whole lot longer, which saves you money. So cleaning and deodorizing your disposal is today’s thrifty tip!
How to clean your Garbage Disposal:
Pour a pot of boiling water down your drain. Then pour ½ cup of baking soda into the drain and let set for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of boiling water down the drain and cover with the drain plug. This will keep the reaction in the drain and not bubble up into the sink. Let this solution sit for 5 minutes. Flush one more time with boiling water. This should do a great job at cleaning and removing build up!
Next: run cold water while the disposal is on:
Keep your disposer on with water running for 30 to 60 seconds after the waste has cleared from the drain. Cold water keeps the motor, bearings and shredder assembly from overheating. You want to make sure the waste flushes through the pipes completely by flushing it out with water.
Optional: deodorize your disposal:
Throw small pieces of lime and lemon peels with a handful of ice into your garbage disposal to eliminate odors and help maintain the blades!
The lemon and lime will keep your kitchen smelling citrusy fresh. Ice helps knock off any debris built up on the sharp edges that keep them from grinding food properly.
Items that shouldn’t go down the disposal:
· Bones
· Celery
· Artichokes
· Coffee Grounds or Filters
· Banana Peels
· Fruit Pits or Hard Seeds
· Onion Skins
· Starchy Foods- pasta, bread, rice, potato peels
· Corn Husks
· Plastic, Metal, Screws, Nails, Glass
· Plant or Flower Clippings
· Hair
· Grease
· Bottle Caps, Paper, or Bread Tabs
Helpful Tips:
Try to avoid putting grease down the drain if possible. Kitchen grease will harden inside your pipes and stink up your drains.
When cleaning your dishes use hot water and a detergent that is tough on grease.
Always keep the water running while the disposal is on to help keep it clean and clear of debris.
About Karrie
Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...
Comments & Reviews
Alice Mcguire says
Fantastic list. It is true that these things shouldn`t go down to the disposal but sometimes you can`t prevent it. Last month my son dropped half onion in it. I was terrified. It was a disaster. I cleaned it eventually. Thank you for sharing your article. I am going to show it to my family. This way they will be more careful. Greets!
Happy.MoneySaver says
I know it is sometimes unavoidable! I am glad you liked the article. 🙂
Rachel Steward says
Thank you for this really informative post! Here is one tip from me:after I juice my oranges, I keep some rind in a ziploc bag and store them in the fridge. That way, whenever the garbage disposal is getting a wee-bit stinky, I drop a couple rinds and return back to an odor-free kitchen.
Happy.MoneySaver says
Great tip!