A convenient way to rid your home of excess foods without filling your trash and enticing unwanted pests into your home or apartment, a garbage disposal can be an effective appliance in your kitchen. But anyone who’s used one can tell you that if you don’t use your garbage disposal correctly or keep these little machines well maintained, they can easily leave your kitchen with a rancid odor to fight off.
The last thing you want coming out of your kitchen is a foul smell from the garbage disposal. Read on for a a few tricks to save yourself from the noxious nuisance, or simply give our expert Brooklyn plumbers a call for help!
From grease to chicken bones, if there’s a foul smell emanating from your garbage disposal, a clog is likely the culprit. Often, these clogs can be further down the pipes, but you might get lucky and can reach the odorous obtrusion. Check out one of our previous posts to learn how to prevent clogs and garbage disposal repairs in the first place!
Unplug the machine and use a flashlight to identify any obvious obstructions. Then, use a pair of tongs, pliers or even chopsticks to remove the offending object. If you are unable to locate the clog, you might be dealing with a deeper issue or a simple need to clean and disinfect.
Before you start tossing the contents of your ice maker down the disposal with a batch of salt, warm the machine up for its cold massage first. Fill the sink with a few inches of warm water and suds it up with some detergent. Then, unplug the drain and turn the disposal on for a frothy flush.
Next, grab a tray of ice and a half cup of coarse salt and send them down the disposal. The friction from this helps break up decaying particles of last week’s dinner that are still clinging to the machine. Let the disposal run until all the ice is processed and then run a long stream of water down the drain for a proper rinse.
Even after food particles are gone, a stubborn smell may persist and though there are many chemicals you can buy, you likely have a few ingredients on hand for a cheap and effective cleanse.
Try pouring a couple of cups of baking soda down the disposal followed by a modest portion of white vinegar, about half a cup. Let this mixture sit for around an hour and then run the disposal alongside the water for a minute or so. Once the disposal is clean and clear, drop a couple of orange or lemon peels in for a nice citrus finish.
If the smell persists – or returns rapidly – chances are your disposal needs a deeper cleanse that comes from a professional Brooklyn plumber. Contact Petri Heating & Plumbing for an experienced technician to come to help rid the rancid odors from your kitchen sink once and for all!
We are the market leaders and want to hire people that grow with our company. We are looking for qualified, motivated technicians and pay competitively!