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How do you clean the garbage disposal in your sink? (1 Viewer)

DustinLC

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Jun 17, 2003
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Drop a fork inside and reach my hand in to get it.

Yuk!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The wall is filled with scum! No wonder it smells. How do you suppose to clean that area?
 

Nathan*W

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Ice cubes are good for cleaning the blades. Dunno about the walls, etc.
 

Jeff Gatie

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If it is that bad (smells, layer of gunk) you may need to remove it and clean it out (call a plumber). Then you need to, at least once a week, run hot sudsy water through it until the suds come out the top. Pour baking soda down the drain while running disposal (kills the smell). Every time you eat eggs, pop the eggshells in and let it whirl. This keeps the blades sharp and helps to scrape the walls.
 

Chris Hovanic

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Jan 3, 2003
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I cut up lemons and drop 1 or 2 cut up lemons in while its running. Dont drop them in all at once. The whole kitchen smells great. :D
 

Jay Taylor

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A bottle brush should allow you to scrub the inside walls with soap. I don't know if a powdered soap like Comet or liquid toilet bowl cleaner would damage the disposal.
 

Joe Szott

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Yeah, don't throw out any of your used lemons/limes. Drop them down into the disposal and grind em up. The citrus is a natural cleaner and as stated, will make your sink smell great.

Never heard of using eggshells, is worth a shot.
 

Philip_G

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Man, you guys must not throw as much gunk down there as I do. I throw stuff in for fun sometimes

My mom used to grind up chicken bones to clean it, something about the same theory as the ice trick, but I don't do that.
I think the bacon grease is starting to build up though :laugh:
 

Anthony Hom

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Mar 24, 1999
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I just fill a big pot or wash basin full of hot water and dish soap like Joy. Then pour it down the sink until it fills the sink and then on with the disposal. Let it pull the sink full of soapy water down. It kind of cleans itself, like a blender full of clear water. Then when the soapy water almost drains out, turn on the faucet and let it run for another 10 seconds. I do this at least once a week and my disposal is very clean.

Usually the easiest thing to do is if you have a wash tub to wash dishes, just pour the remaining soapy water down the disposal and run it. And then clear water afterwards again.
 

Citizen87645

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Sometimes my dishwasher backs up into the sink but drains fine enough. I figure that keeps it pretty clean most of the time.

One time there was a rotten smell I couldn't locate and I finally figured out it was coming from the disposal. Put my hand in but didn't feel anything, but then tried again. Turns out a popsicle stick had fallen in and wedged under the blades, creating a nice catch for God knows what that green lump of goo once was.
 

LanieParker

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Apr 15, 2004
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The lemon/lime tip is a great one. I use that one. Also, Rinse that area with hot water after you have sent food down the pipes to sanatize it.

I basically try not to put any food down if I can help it. We have a septic tank and apparently you aren't suppose to put food down the disposal with one.
 

DustinLC

Supporting Actor
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Jun 17, 2003
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Wow! I didn't realize home theater experts also are knowledgeable at cleaning sink garbage disposal :D.

And I thought I was just going to get a :rolleyes.

Thanks for the tips.
 

ChrisHeflen

Supporting Actor
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Sep 9, 2002
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My wife told me last nite that a small glass bottle of cough syrup fell down there and she didn't know it until she turned it on. Now we hear broken glass grinding and stuff when we run it. I tried letting water run through it for a bit and it helped, but you can still hear it grind occasionally.
Did we ruin it? I just replaced it last year.
 

Jeff Gatie

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Just try asking a cooking question, you'll get more than you need (or want) to know. Ask the guy who wanted to know how to boil eggs or pasta.:D
 

Mark Sherman

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Apr 9, 2003
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I just fill a big pot or wash basin full of hot water and dish soap like Joy. Then pour it down the sink until it fills the sink and then on with the disposal. Let it pull the sink full of soapy water down.



Damn you beat me to it. This works very well indeed.
 

Ted Lee

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May 8, 2001
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chris - you only have one yucky choice (other then dismantling the whole thing...)

1. unplug the disposal
2. stick your hand in there and sweep up all the glass
 

Bry_DD

Second Unit
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Dec 29, 2000
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If you have dishwasher hooked up to it make sure to run the dishwasher every other day to clear out the hose that connect to it.. cuz i found out that makes that bad smell coming from.. also i slice some lemons or used one and dumped it in the disposal. also ice to clean the blades..
 

Philip Hamm

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Jan 23, 1999
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Do you have the book? I wonder if there's a web site for IN-SINKERATOR? I'll bet the answer is close at hand.

Ice cubes are what some kitchen contractor told my Mom like 20 years ago, and I've been using that technique ever since. Big handful of ice cubes lots of 'em.
 

Ted Lee

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handfuls??? bah! ;)

i use the entire freezer bin's worth of ice cubes. i figure it's also a good way to simultaneously clean out any old ice that's been laying around.
 

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