Garbage Disposal Cleaning
Maintenance and Safety Tips for your Unit
Introduction
Garbage disposals, also known as food disposals and waste disposals, are a convenient tool to make life in the kitchen easier. Although they are amazing to have, they are generally not taken care of. Do you want some information about the do’s and don’ts for food disposals? Go to our “Tips and Tricks” blog! If you enjoy learning from videos, visit our YouTube video, “Garbage Disposal Maintenance.” This blog will teach you all about what not to put in your unit, the specific steps on how to clean it, and some cleaning myths as well!
Top 3 Cleaning Myths
We have heard about many ways people clean their disposals, however, not all of the known ways are good to do! Let’s talk about the different cleaning techniques we’ve heard of and discuss why it’s not the right way.
1) Use hot water.
Myth! If there are any fats or grease in your drain or any type of starchy food, the hot water will turn the contents into goo. They will stick to the blades, causing it to clog. Using hot water can also move the problem farther down your pipes. This may result in issues for the city of Rochester’s plumbing system! We wouldn’t want to cause any problems for our amazing city.
2) It is okay to use bleach and other chemicals, such as Draino and Borax.
Wrong! Doing this will damage the equipment and cause it to have a shorter life. Using bleach will eliminate the good bacteria that is essential to making your system effective. One other reason you should not use bleach or any other chemicals is because it could be unsafe. The water that is infested with chemicals could splash in your eyes or clothes.
Clean your food disposal with coffee grounds and eggshells.
Do not do this! Although some plumbers would say it is an efficient cleaner, coffee grounds and eggshells are foods that can cause clogs and should be avoided. Coffee grounds tend to pile up and can cause a sludge-like substance that can cause blockages. Eggshells have membranes that can get wrapped around the impellers and cause damage.
This is the best method for cleaning and deodorizing the appliance. Sprinkle some baking soda and rinse it with about a cup of vinegar.
Combining the baking soda and vinegar will create a bubbling effect, which means it’s working! Allow it to sit for about 5 minutes without running any water.
Use hot water to rinse it. Although you should not use hot water when the waste disposal is running, of course it’s okay to use in other cases, like this one!
Pride Plumbing endorses this way of cleaning. Watch our YouTube Video, “Garbage Disposal Maintenance” to physically see how to clean your disposal with baking soda and vinegar.
2) Ice and dish soap.
A good way to break up some of the gunk is to throw some ice cubes down there with dish soap.
The ice can help remove residue from the walls and the impellers of your unit.
Using the dish soap with the ice creates the clean smell we all want. Quick tip: Put the rubber stopper over your unit to keep the ice from flying out.
Did you know that food disposals don’t actually have blades? They have a system with shredding impellers that are like teeth that spin at a high speed to grind up your food. Go to our YouTube page and watch “What’s a Garbage Disposal? How Does it Work? Why Should I Get One?” to learn about the different parts within the InSinkErator models.
3) Citrus wedges.
Lemons, limes, and oranges can keep your unit smelling fresh while naturally cleaning the inside.
You can also throw ice in with your fruit to get that citrus smell and knock off some sludge!
No more than half of one of these fruits is needed.
The natural acidity can also help prevent bacteria growth.
Splash Guard Cleaning
Splash guards sit in the opening of your waste disposal to prevent water and food from splashing up at you. The guard can get residue from food on it, which is why it’s important to clean it. If your splash guard is past the point of no return, thankfully it can be replaced by visiting your local home store. To keep your splash guard clean, follow the steps below:
Make sure your disposal is turned off at the source.
Use an old toothbrush and put a little detergent on the bristles.
Clean away!
Maintenance Tips
To maintain your unit, you can use any of the 3 cleaning methods above. Also, follow these tips to ensure your disposal has a longer life:
Use cold water, and use a lot of it! Keep the water running for about 15 seconds after the grinding stops to make sure the food washes down the drain.
Clean your waste disposal about every two weeks.
Use your disposal regularly. Continuously using it prevents rust and corrosion from happening. Even if you don’t have to grind any food scraps up, run the appliance with cold water.
It’s a good idea to have your drain snaked about once every 2 years to prevent clogs and keep your sink running smoothly.
Safety Tips
Never put your hands down the disposal!
If you need to get something out of the disposal, make sure you unplug or turn off your unit first. The power switch is generally located underneath the disposal. If you can’t find the switch, you can go to the main breaker and shut it off.
Do you have children? If so, take a look at our YouTube video, “Child Safety Around Garbage Disposals.”
If you don’t have kids, still follow the instructions above to ensure your own safety!
Conclusion
If you have any issues with your waste disposal or want us to do any maintenance, our professional plumbers would be happy to serve you!
“I had a faulty drain from my garbage disposal that needed to be repaired and David V. from Pride came out and did an outstanding job! I sat with him while he completed the job and went over some of the particulars this job required. It was by no standards straight forward and he tackled it with diligence and a wonderful demeanor! …Thanks David. Job Well Done” - Scott, Rochester.
Call Pride Plumbing of Rochester at 585-271-7150 or fill out our form to request same-day plumbing services. We look forward to seeing you!
