Key Takeaways
- Ice cubes and salt are the easiest way to clean the grinding chamber — run them with cold water for 30 seconds.
- Baking soda and vinegar eliminate odors and break down grease buildup.
- Always run cold water when using the disposal — cold water solidifies grease so it gets chopped up rather than coating the inside.
- Never put your hand inside the disposal — use tongs or pliers to remove stuck items.
- Clean the splash guard — the rubber flaps at the top trap food debris and are the most common source of odors.
If your kitchen sink has developed an unpleasant smell, the garbage disposal is almost always the culprit. Food particles, grease, and bacteria build up inside the grinding chamber and under the splash guard, creating odors that can fill your entire kitchen. Most people assume the disposal cleans itself since it grinds food and water runs through it constantly — but that is not how it works.
The good news is that cleaning a garbage disposal takes less than ten minutes, requires no special tools, and should be done weekly to prevent odor and buildup. This guide covers quick daily habits, weekly deep cleaning, and the mistakes that cause the most problems.
Daily Maintenance Habits
These simple habits prevent most disposal problems before they start:
- Run cold water before, during, and after use — start the water 5 seconds before turning on the disposal, keep it running while grinding, and let it run 15 seconds after you turn the disposal off. This flushes debris through the drain pipe.
- Use cold water, not hot — hot water melts grease, which then re-solidifies further down the pipe and causes clogs. Cold water keeps grease solid so the disposal can chop it up.
- Run the disposal regularly — even if you do not have food to grind. Running it every day or two with water prevents rust, corrosion, and hardened buildup.
- Cut large items into smaller pieces before putting them in the disposal. Feed items gradually rather than stuffing the chamber.
Weekly Deep Cleaning Methods
Method 1: Ice and Salt
This is the most popular and effective maintenance method. The ice sharpens the blades while the salt scrubs the grinding chamber walls.
- Drop two cups of ice cubes into the disposal.
- Add one cup of coarse salt (rock salt or kosher salt).
- Turn on the disposal and run cold water.
- Let it run for 30 seconds to a minute until the ice is gone.
- Rinse with cold water for another 15 seconds.
Method 2: Baking Soda and Vinegar
This method targets odors and grease buildup.
- Pour half a cup of baking soda into the disposal.
- Slowly add one cup of white vinegar. It will fizz — that is the reaction breaking down buildup.
- Let it fizz and work for 10 minutes with the disposal off.
- Turn on the disposal and flush with hot water for 30 seconds. (Hot water is fine here because you are flushing cleaning solution, not grinding grease.)
Method 3: Citrus Freshener
For a quick refresh between deep cleans:
- Cut a lemon, lime, or orange into small wedges.
- Drop the wedges into the disposal one at a time.
- Run the disposal with cold water until the citrus is fully ground.
The citrus oils cut grease and leave a fresh scent. This does not replace a full cleaning but works great as a midweek freshener.
Cleaning the Splash Guard
The rubber splash guard (the black rubber flaps at the drain opening) is the number one source of disposal odors. Food particles and slime accumulate on the underside of the flaps where you cannot see them.
How to Clean It
- Make sure the disposal is off.
- Lift the rubber flaps and scrub the underside with an old toothbrush dipped in dish soap or baking soda paste.
- Scrub around the top rim of the disposal opening too.
- Rinse thoroughly with running water.
If you have not done this in a while, you may be surprised by what you find. Do this weekly and the odor problem usually disappears.
What You Should Never Put in a Garbage Disposal
| Item | Why It Causes Problems |
|---|---|
| Grease, oil, and fat | Coats the grinding chamber and solidifies in pipes, causing clogs |
| Coffee grounds | Seem fine but accumulate in pipes and create sludgy blockages |
| Pasta, rice, and bread | Expand with water and create a paste-like mass |
| Eggshells | Contrary to myth, they do not sharpen blades — the membrane wraps around components |
| Fibrous vegetables (celery, artichokes, asparagus) | Stringy fibers wrap around the grinding mechanism |
| Potato peels | Create a starchy paste that clogs the drain |
| Fruit pits and large bones | Too hard for the motor — can damage or jam the disposal |
| Non-food items | Glass, plastic, metal, and rubber can damage the motor and blades |
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Disposal Still Smells After Cleaning
If odors persist after a thorough cleaning, the problem may be in the drain pipe rather than the disposal itself. Pour half a cup of baking soda followed by half a cup of vinegar into the drain. Wait 15 minutes, then flush with boiling water. If odors continue, there may be a buildup further in the plumbing that needs professional attention.
Disposal Is Jammed
Never put your hand inside. Most disposals have a hex key (Allen wrench) slot on the bottom. Insert a quarter-inch hex key and rotate back and forth to free the jam. Then use tongs to remove whatever caused it.
Disposal Will Not Turn On
Check the reset button on the bottom of the unit. If it has popped out, press it back in and try again. If that does not work, check your circuit breaker.
Recommended Cleaning Schedule
| Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Run cold water with disposal | Every use |
| Ice and salt cleaning | Weekly |
| Baking soda and vinegar treatment | Weekly (alternate with ice/salt) |
| Splash guard scrub | Weekly |
| Citrus freshener | As needed |
| Full drain pipe flush | Monthly |
A Fresh Disposal Is a Clean Kitchen
A garbage disposal that smells is not a broken disposal — it is an under-cleaned one. Ten minutes of weekly maintenance using methods you already have the supplies for keeps your kitchen smelling fresh and your disposal running smoothly for years.
When you want a top-to-bottom kitchen cleaning that covers every detail including appliances, Otesse's cleaning teams handle it all. Get a free quote and let us take care of the details.
