How To Clean Your Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposals require regular cleaning to avoid clogs and unpleasant odors. Food can easily build up in certain areas inside the disposal. Without regular cleaning, you’re likely to experience a clog or slow drain at some point. The expert plumbers at Roto-Rooter know a thing or two about garbage disposals. They install and repair more of them than any other plumbing company.

Lucky for you, disposals can be effectively cleaned with three common household items. Here’s what you’ll need to clean your disposal:

• 1 cup of ice
• 1 peeled lemon (halved)
• 1 cup of liquid dish soap
• Tongs

Eliminate unpleasant odors in your disposal with the following 6 steps:

1. Using tongs, place your lemon halves in the garbage disposal
2. Add ice cubes
3. Turn on the disposal
4. Pour in the cup of liquid dish soap
5. Run cold water for 30 seconds
6. Turn off the disposal

To ensure your garbage disposal is in good working order, make sure you avoid placing hard and fibrous foods down the sink. Disposals cannot usually process hard seeds, popcorn kernels, peach stones, apple seeds or bones. The smaller pieces can get wedged underneath the blades causing them to jam. Fibrous foods should be avoided, also, because the fibers tend to wrap themselves around the blades causing them to jam. Therefore, avoid onion skins, egg shells, celery stalks, corn husks, etc. If there’s any question, better safe than sorry – opt for the garbage bin.

Watch Video: How To Clean Your Garbage Disposal

If you are already trying to fix a broken or disabled garbage disposal or any other drain clog, call Roto-Rooter for fast plumbing repair at 1-800-GET-ROTO, or go here to schedule service.