Do you sometimes catch a funny smell coming from your garbage disposal? Have you ever noticed fruit flies in your kitchen but can’t quite tell where they are coming from? It might be from the garbage disposal you love under the kitchen sink. Generally, well-maintained garbage disposals that are used correctly (don’t drop your utensils in the drain!) clean themselves, but the following suggestions will help you keep your kitchen smelling fresh, your drain working properly and should help you help control the fruit fly population!Remember, even with proper maintenance, garbage disposals can break down. If you need help or a service call, book an appointment with us and we will send you a qualified appliance repair technician, even for this small kitchen appliance.
- Clean the Machine
Most garbage disposals are a cylinder made of metal, equipped with rotating blades (or impellers). Often, in newer or even fancier models, your garbage disposal might also include a certain amount of grinders either on the sides or at the bottom. These grinders actually grind the food you are disposing into tiny pieces but this can actually become a thick sludge. Even without the grinders, the small food pieces, chunks and particles can get caught in your drain.
Also, its worth mentioning that no matter how hard you try to avoid it, and we’ve seen a lot, there are many things that shouldn’t go down your garbage disposal that might just end up doing so. If so, you’ll have to physically remove these types of items from the inside (make sure the power is off and the garbage disposal cannot start operating). Things to avoid putting down the garbage disposal are:
Remember, whatever goes down the machine and gets stuck or can’t get through, will eventually start breeding odor-causing bacteria and affect how well your garbage disposal works. There are a few ways to clean out the trapped items:
- Glass
- Metal
- Rubber objects
- Highly fibrous food like shrimp, shells, peach pits, artichoke leaves, large bones, corn husks
- With the power definitely turned off (again, we suggest at the breaker box), and using a pair of tongs or long-nosed pliers (we STRONGLY suggest you never put your hands down inside the garbage disposal, even with the power off), try to pick out the pieces of whatever is in there.
- Turn the power back on and if things are still trapped when you try to operate the garbage disposal, put two cups of ice cubes in the drain followed by either i) a cup of rock salt OR ii) (substitution) a cup of vinegar. When you turn the garbage disposal back on, the combination of the ice and rock salt can help rid the grinding elements of sludge and debris so that they can actually get down the drain.
- Clear that Drain Line
Preventative maintenance is a good idea and good garbage disposal maintenance includes purging the drain line periodically. This is the drain line that leads from the garbage disposal. This is also a good step following the steps in part 1 above.
To purge your drain line, plug your drain with its plug and fill the sink with a good 4 inches of water. Remove the drain plug while simultaneously turning on the garbage disposal. In addition to helping you with good best practices, it will help clear the drain, especially for particularly fibrous foods.
- The Beauty of Citrus
This is one of our favorite tricks because it helps clean your garbage disposal while also helping to make your kitchen smelling fresh! You can also do this after you have cleared your drain.
From lemons, limes and oranges, take a handful of peels and drop them into your garbage disposal. With the cold water running, turn it on and you should smell an improvement right away. The citric acid from the citrus peels will help kill bacteria while deodorizing your disposer.
Of course, these are all things for you to consider and try but if you are having a problem with your garbage disposal or any of your appliances, please give Kenco Services a call and book an appointment. We’ll send out one of our certified technicians and have them take a look at your kitchen appliance, or your other appliances and resolve the issue resolved.
