When Garbage Disposal Reek of Something

Kitchens are without a doubt, one of the most important areas of our home. It is where we store, prepare, and cook food. Additionally, we complete related tasks in the kitchen such as dishwashing. Kitchens also sometimes serve as the spot where we hold get-togethers when relatives, friends, or other guests come over. In layman’s term, the kitchen is where we spend most of our active time. And with all the things that happen in here, trash is always inevitable. Be it plastics, cardboard packaging, or glass. All the things you would find in there that can be recycled or reused. But a large majority of waste that the kitchen produces is food waste. These wastes are uneaten leftovers or spoiled produce. According to the records, each year the United States alone generate about forty million tons of food waste which either end up in landfills and combustion facilities.

Aside from the alarming overall statistics and the possibility of food scarcity if more food and produces are discarded, we can also talk about the effect on a micro-level. All the rubbish in your kitchen will end up stinking if not trashed properly. There are different factors why food scrap produces odors. Science explains it all. Apparently, every food in our kitchen contains different odor compounds. All of which will soon smell strongly and unpleasantly if not managed.

For the recyclable trash, well, you can obviously recycle them. But as for the food scrap you must be thinking, “That’s not a problem! We have a garbage disposal.” Undeniably, garbage disposal plays an important role in getting rid of your kitchen waste. And it is considered one of the vital features of our kitchen ever since it was introduced to the mass. All you have to do is get the proper knowledge about garbage disposal. Great! You are able to recycle some trash and get food waste out but what about the funky smell? What if it still lingers? Well it could be the superhero – the Venom in your Spiderman garbage disposal. You get to grind and break up the waste in it but decaying or rotting food can still be settling around its blades or drainpipes connected to it.

Fret not! There are ways to fight shy of a reeking disposal and keep them clean with just a few things that is readily available at home.

First and the most important thing to do is know the stuff you should not put in your garbage disposal. They will offer you ease but never take advantage of it. Our appliances you will need to get your sink drain plugged, fill the sink with cold water about halfway, and add some dish soap. After a few minutes, remove the plug from the drain and turn your disposal on. This technique should rinse the concealed portions of the disposal. While the water is draining, scrub the sink with a sponge as well as the part of the disposal that are visible.

Next, pour about two cups of ice cubes and a cup of rock salt into it. Then run cold water of them and simultaneously turning on the disposal for ten seconds. The two components make it easier in breaking up food particles and dispose of clammy residue.

In deodorizing, we all know that baking soda is one hell of a worker because of the science behind it. Baking soda proves to be a great absorber of odors (especially the bad ones). To deodorize your disposal, pour about a cup of baking soda into the disposal and partner it with a cup of vinegar, which also has a spot in the “Great Cleaners” hall of fame. This combination should produce a fizzing show due to the chemical reaction which works to dissolve bacteria. After thirty minutes to one hour of letting the combo do the work, run a stream of water while turning your disposal for rinsing.

After doing the aforementioned steps, the stinky culprit should be gone. But if the smell is still present, there could be blockages. Try to unplug it from under the sink. Assess if there are any clog somewhere from the inside of the drain. Remove if there are blockages and plug the disposal back in. If you can’t perform this specific step, find someone or a professional nearby who can do the task for you.