What Can I Put in My Garbage Disposal to Make it Not Stink?
Your garbage disposal does a great service by eliminating food and debris that would otherwise have to be thrown away. If your garbage disposal doesn't get properly rinsed out, debris can stick to the blades leaving an unpleasant odor behind. Without having to stick your hands in this small, potentially unsafe space to clean it out, there are several things you can pour down there to fix the smell. Does this Spark an idea?
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Borax
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Borax powder, which can usually be found in the laundry section of your local grocery store, is optimal for its deodorizing abilities. Drop several tablespoons of borax into your garbage disposal and leave it there for 15 to 30 minutes. While the borax is sitting in the garbage disposal, boil a large pot of water. When the 15 to 30 minutes has elapsed, pour the hot water down the disposal to rinse it out.
Citrus Fruit
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Toss lemon, orange, or lime peels down the disposal and turn it on, running cold water. Citrus fruits are naturally mildly acidic so they can help to eat through grease and other debris that may be clinging to the blades causing the smell. Keep the cold water coming for a minute after the disposal is done chewing up the fruit peels to let it rinse thoroughly. In addition to the quick clean-up the fruit does, it leaves behind a fresh fruity smell.
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Ice
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Drop ice cubes into the garbage disposal and turn it on with cold water running. The ice will help to loosen any debris stuck on the blades so it can be washed away. Continue to grind up ice until the odor no longer persists. It can be helpful to do this at least once a month to help keep the blades clean and sharp.
Vinegar and Baking Soda
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Dump several scoops of baking soda into the disposal. Slowly pour a cup of white vinegar into the disposal. Pour the vinegar in slowly as this will cause a reaction between the two. This fizzing and bubbling will help to loosen any grease, grime and debris stuck on the blades. Pour a pot of boiling hot water down the disposal to rinse it out after at least 15 minutes.
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References
- Photo Credit lemons image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
