We pass food items through the sink on a daily basis. Almost every time, the garbage disposal is in use. Constant usage demands constant maintenance. Cleaning the garbage disposal is as important as using it.
The insides of the disposal should be checked often to ensure no foul odor is emitted and that the blades do not have remnant food items on them. There are a few ways to clean the garbage disposal; using lemons is one of them.
Therefore, the question is, how to clean garbage disposal with lemon.
To clean garbage disposal with lemon, you need to first remove debris in the garbage disposal using a tong, use the stopper to wash down the loose dirt, pour ice and salt into the garbage disposal, and finally slice and squeeze the lemon hard over the garbage disposal to clean it.
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Is it OK to Put Lemons in Your Garbage Disposal?
Lemons can be put in a garbage disposal. They are citrus fruits with a nice scent. This scent can be used to deodorize the garbage disposal and cleanse it from foul odors. Lemons can be put alongside ice cubes and salt to clean garbage disposal.
Can You Clean Garbage Disposal with Lemon?
Yes, the use of citrus fruits such as lemon is highly advisable in cleaning the garbage disposal. The citrus present in lemon can help dislodge food items that clog garbage disposal.
The lemons provide a fresh smell that keeps the sink and the machine fresh.
An advantage of using lemons instead of chemicals to clean your garbage disposal is that lemons are natural products. Lemons have no side effects on the atmosphere and the kitchen pipes.
How to Clean Garbage Disposal with Lemon
The following steps will show you how to clean garbage disposal using lemons:
1. Clear Off Loose Particles
The first step to take in cleaning garbage disposal with lemon is to remove debris in and around the disposal. Dirt and moist food items in the drain should be washed away or picked out.
Look into the drain with a flashlight and see that it’s free from dirt. A tong can be used to pick out the gunk in the sink.
2. Use the Stopper
There is a rubber stopper attached to the sink. Put it in place and run water into the sink. Fill the sink with enough water then add some liquid soap to the mix.
When the mixture is quite soapy, you can open the rubber stopper and put it ON the garbage disposal. This will help wash down the loose dirt under the blades and around the teeth of the garbage disposal.
3. Clear Out the Dirt
In case there is still so much dirt after the water has drained, you can use your hands to pull it out. Note that you should never insert your bare fingers into the disposal.
It is highly dangerous and can hurt your fingers. Make use of hand gloves for safety. Ensure the disposal is turned OFF before putting your hand in it. Rinse the sink with hot water from the tap.
4. Get Your Ice and Salt
To loosen any build-up and clean the blades of the disposal,
- You need to turn ON the power of the disposal
- Put some ice cubes into the disposal
- Sprinkle a spoonful of salt onto the blades
- Run the cold water and let it roll for some minutes.
The salt and ice cubes in it will serve as a scrubbing brush to scribble off clogs on the blades.
5. Get the Lemons Ready
The lemons you need for this do not have to be fresh,
- You can get some old lemons
- Slice the lemons into two or more pieces
- Squeeze the lemon hard over the garbage disposal, so hard that the juice drops into the disposal
- Allow the juice to remain on the top of the disposal to moisturize any food item stuck to the blades.
Open the cold water tap and let it flow into the disposal. Switch ON the garbage disposal and put in the lemon fruit.
Let it run for some time before rinsing the disposal with water before turning off the disposal.
6. Use the Leftover Lemons to Clean the Top of the Disposal
The top of the disposal (bottom of the sink) can get quite dirty at times. Lemons can be used to scrub around the area to pick up dirt.
Advantages of Cleaning Garbage Disposal with Lemon
Here are the pros of cleaning garbage disposal with lemon:
Lemons Deodorizes the Garbage Disposal
All citrus fruits come with a nice scent. Lemons are not an exception.
If you observe that your disposal is producing a pungent smell, you should consider cleaning the garbage disposal with lemons.
Lemons will overwhelm the odor and leave a fresh, natural scent on the disposal blades.
Lemons are Natural and have No Side-Effects
Compared to drain cleaners, lemons will never harm the pipes of the drain. Chemical drain cleaners do have the potential to cause damage in the disposal if used regularly but lemons do not have such effects.
Lemons are Cost-Effective
It is cheap to purchase some lemons from the grocery store. Drain cleaners will cost much more but lemons are available at low prices.
Lemons are Eco-friendly
Being a natural item, lemons do not harm the environment in any form. No dangerous liquids in them, no unusual heat generated from them, and many more. Lemons do not have environmental hazards that come with them.
These are the advantages of using lemons to clean your garbage disposal. Before you take a walk to the store to buy a drain cleaner, why don’t you consider using lemons to clean your disposal blades?
Conclusion
It is ok to put lemons in your garbage disposal. Lemons will deodorize your disposal and leave a fresh scent in it. The cleaning of garbage disposal with lemons is cost-effective and it is a cheaper option compared to drain cleaners. For effective performance, lemons should be used with ice cubes and salt in the disposal while cleaning it. The result is a fresh, sparkling garbage disposal.
