Cleaning the disposal is an important activity in the kitchen. Over time, the use of the garbage disposal will lead to dirt hanging around the surface and the blades. Proper maintenance thorough cleaning is needed to prevent the dullness of the blades.
Also, pungent odor from the disposal might be noticed. This is a sign to clean the disposal. Aside from lemon, baking soda, and vinegar can be used to clean the garbage disposal. Not to worry, this article will show you how to bring your garbage disposal back to its best state.
To clean garbage disposal with baking soda and vinegar, use a rubber stopper to cover the drain, pour a cup of baking soda and vinegar into the disposal, and allow it to settle for 10 minutes, remove the stopper, power the disposal, and run warm and cold water to rinse the disposal.
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Can You Use Baking Soda and Vinegar to Clean Garbage Disposal?
The garbage disposal, also known as a waste disposal unit, is a wonderful machine. It is installed below the kitchen sink, it is used to grind food waste into very small pieces so that those pieces can move through the pipes very quickly along with water and no clog there.
It is quite obvious that the garbage disposal makes kitchen cleaning easy, but what about its cleaning?
Cleaning the garbage disposal is essential to maintain the neatness of the drain and prevent foul odor from being generated.
With constant usage, after a few weeks or months, the garbage disposal might start to produce an unwholesome smell. This smell can be very awful and irritating.
The cleaning of the garbage disposal is important to prevent this odor. Moreso, a dirty and unkept garbage disposal can turn into a breeding ground for bacteria and other organisms.
To restore your garbage disposal back to its former beautiful state, the combination of baking soda and vinegar can work magic! Wondering why?
It is because baking soda is a base and Vinegar basically contains acid. When mixed together, a fizzing reaction occurs.
This reaction can wipe away difficult food items and oil leftover stuck in the garbage disposal. This is why Baking Soda and Vinegar have become the number one DIY solution for cleaning the garbage disposal.
Moreover, baking Soda and Vinegar can be used to clean the garbage disposal often. A lot of people are leaning towards the option of using this combo to clean their disposals, instead of chemicals. Why?
Baking soda and Vinegar are on opposite extremes of the pH scale. The pH scale is a scale that shows how acidic or basic a substance is, on a scale of 1(highly acidic) to 14(highly basic). 7 represents a neutral state.
Baking Soda is the household name for the mixture Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). I know you have heard of it; it’s predominantly used in the production of biscuits, bread, and cakes. Vinegar is produced by bacteria during fermentation.
Baking Soda has a pH of 9 and vinegar has a pH of 2. Being basic, backing soda can disintegrate compounds like dirt, oil, and other items. Being acidic, Vinegar can dissolve food items that stain the sink and blades of garbage disposal. A mixture of these substances will produce great results.
Materials Needed to Clean Garbage Disposal With Baking Soda and Vinegar
To clean garbage disposal using baking soda and vinegar, you need to get these materials ready. They are:
- 1 cup of Baking Soda
- Hot Water
- Half cup of White Vinegar
- Sink or Drain Stopper
How to Clean Garbage Disposal with Baking Soda and Vinegar
To clean garbage disposal with baking soda and vinegar:
- Pour the cup of baking soda into the disposal.
- Follow it with the cup of vinegar
- Ensure the drain is closed using the rubber stopper.
- Allow the mixture to settle for close to 10 minutes.
- Then, remove the stopper and turn ON the garbage disposal.
- Run warm water into the disposal.
- Follow this with cold water from the tap. This is to rinse the disposal properly and ensure the mixture is washed down.
- Your garbage disposal should be clean and sparkling right now
After following the steps above, if you observe that the odor is still present in the disposal, you should repeat the steps.
Furthermore, it should be noted here that using baking soda and vinegar to clean the garbage disposal is not the only remedy.
You can use lemon to clean the garbage disposal. You can also clean garbage disposal with ice cubes and salt. They will all give you the satisfaction you seek.
Drain cleaners are also good options for clearing stubborn clogs in the disposal. This should be used sparingly though because drain cleaners have side effects. The drain pipes could get damaged with time.
How often to Clean a Garbage Disposal?
From research, the garbage disposal should be cleaned at least once a week. I presume you use your garbage disposal daily, so that should mean that for 7 days a week, your disposal processes food waste.
A day should be set aside for proper cleaning of the garbage disposal. Some people might be busy enough not to clean the garbage disposal weekly but at least, once in 2 weeks.
The disposal should be cleaned thoroughly to prevent unusual odors and microorganisms from building on the blades of the device.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning garbage disposal is just as important as using it. Proper care should be shown to the machine to prevent the dullness of the blades and to maintain the efficiency of the device. Baking soda and vinegar are an effective mixture to apply in bringing out the best of your garbage disposal.
In conclusion, this is a less expensive solution to cleaning your disposal and getting rid of foul smells in the disposal. However, if the odors persist after trying this out, other methods can be employed.
