Garbage Disposal Tips

The garbage disposal is a very big necessity in your kitchen.
This small unit is a must for most people because of the amount of cleaning that they do. Nothing can be more frustrating than a pile full of dirty dishes and a non working garbage disposal!
Yet, if you are like most people, you do not take good care of your garbage disposal. If you properly clean it and maintain it, you will be more likely to keep it running for years.
To keep your garbage disposal working right and odor free, follow these important steps.

Operating The Garbage Disposal:

• Follow the direction provided with your garbage disposal when it comes to using and cleaning it.
• Operate your garbage disposal with cold water. Grease and fats are quickly disposed of when solid and will not clog pipes.
• Turn it on only if the water is running
• Do not overfill the sink with debris that should go in the trash can.
• Be careful with what you put down there! You don’t want to have the unit smashing up hard bones and glass.
• Do not use any type of bleach, drain cleaners or chemicals of other types within your garbage disposal.
• Do not put food in the disposal until you have turned it on. Then, do so slowly, without shoving large items into it.
• Do not allow utensils to get into it.
• Never put your hands in the drain.
• When you hear that the drain is clear, let the cold water run for a few seconds and turn it off the disposal.
• Allow the water to run a few seconds longer after the unit is off.

Cleaning:

To clean your garbage disposal, run hot soapy water through it on a daily basis.
Keep large pieces of food and products out of it. Make sure to empty any type of drain or screen that it may have. Most importantly, if you use it, make sure to keep up on your maintenance of it.

Odors:

To remove odors from your garbage disposal, have it grind a cut up lemon or lime to get rid of odors. Of course, properly cleaning will help but sometimes you will need to purchase cleaners to use on it.

My Secret Cleaning Tip!

I keep my garbage disposal clean and odor free by letting it grind up a bowl of ice cubes every once in a while.
The ice cubes help dislodge any stuck on bits of food or grease. It helps to sharpen the blades of the garbage disposal, and if you have something stuck that makes that metallic grinding noise (as if a soda pop top fell in it) the ice usually helps it grind it right up.
Follow the ice cube trick with letting it grind up some orange or lemon sections and you'll be pretty happy with the result.