Garbage disposals are great for quickly removing food waste, but disposing of inappropriate food items and foreign objects clogs the machine. Items like grease or hard-to-cut-up foods fall under the list of inappropriate foods for your disposal. Once these items end up in your garbage disposal, removing them and unclogging the pipes is very difficult.
Some simple everyday tricks can make a difference at your disposal. One popular trick is the “ice hack.” This tip has been around for ages, but it’s popping up. Here’s everything you need to know about this simple kitchen cleaning tip.
How Can I Clean My Garbage DIsposal with Ice?
Even if you avoid putting too much waste down the drain, your garbage disposal can quickly get smelly. With a few kitchen items around your home, you can quickly make your disposal smell fresh again. Using ice or some minimal additional ingredients, you can clean your disposer or de-gunk the drain. Follow these simple steps.
Empty The Ice Into The Sink
You can clean your disposal with ice even if all you’ve got is an ice tray or two loaded with cubes.
First, you should take your ice from the freezer and empty it into the sink. Then it would be best to turn on your cold water (but not on full blast). Before running the garbage disposal, you should fill the drain with as much ice as possible. When the garbage disposal has finished its work, refill it with a little bit of ice.
Turn on Your Garbage Disposal and Ice It
You’re ready to start the garbage disposal once you’ve poured ice down the drain and ( very crucial) removed your hands from the sink.
When the device is running, you will see a lot of grime and sludge rising from the drain. That’s quite OK; in fact, it’s beneficial. It indicates that some particles are seeping out due to the ice.
Fill Your Drain with More Ice
Continue pouring more into the drain as the ice melts, but proceed cautiously. It is essential to use a utensil, and remember not to put your hand inside the sink’s hole to protect your hands. This procedure might need to be repeated numerous times because some of the remnants can be pretty challenging to remove.
Clean Your Garbage Disposal With Ice And A Few More Common Ingredients
Mixing Ice with Citrus and Soap
Adding one or more objects around the kitchen to the ice may achieve a deeper clean. Roto-Rooter experts advise slicing and splitting a lemon before inserting both halves with tongs into the disposal. Next, start the disposal after adding one cup of ice to the drain. Finally, turn on the cold water, add one cup of liquid soap, and let it run for 30 seconds. Ice removes oily filth that can accumulate over time, citrus refreshes the drain, and soap cleans the grind ring.
Mixing Ice With Salt
Another alternative is to add a generous amount of coarse salt to the ice cubes to help clean the grinding components. If you have a stinky or partially clogged disposal, pour a couple of glasses of ice cubes and some rock salt down the drain.
Then, turn on the cold water from your faucet, activate the garbage disposal, and let it run for 10 to 15 seconds. The mixture will magically remove lodged food particles from your disposal by combining the ice and rock salt, leaving your drain odor-free. Voila!
Except for the absence of suds, there is no noticeable difference between this approach and the previous one.
Mixing Ice with Baking Soda
You also have the option of using other typical home cleaners. Put six ice cubes and a spoonful of baking soda—a natural, minimally abrasive cleanser and —into the garbage disposal.
Without running water, turn on the disposal and wait until you hear the grinding cease. You can now flush for 30 seconds with cold water while the motor is still running.
What Not To Do When Cleaning Your Garbage Disposal
You should avoid putting lye, chemical drain cleaners, and harmful chemical combinations into your garbage disposal, which could harm the device’s internal components.
Also, avoid purchasing commercial garbage disposal cleaners. While some include harsh chemicals that can harm the metal parts of the disposal, many do nothing to remove residue.
Even though it lacks the revolving blades of a blender, it’s best not to stick your hand down the garbage disposal. You can get a cut or scrape and be exposed to unsavory bacteria developing in the drain. Use a long-handled cleaning brush or tongs if required, and ensure the garbage disposal is off.
General Usage Tips
Run cold water through the disposal before turning it on, while food is being ground, and for another seven seconds after the grinding has stopped. These three phases of the flow of water allow food to pass entirely through the pipes once it exits the disposal.
Don’t use hot water. When you put hot water down the disposal, the heat may liquefy any oil or fat in the garbage disposal or drain. The problem is that as the oil cools farther down the drains, it solidifies on the walls and forms obstructions.
As the grease stays longer, it will start to smell, and if food gets stuck in the drain due to the grease, it will smell much worse.
FAQs
Is ice going to damage my garbage disposal?
The ice is firm enough to sharpen the shredder’s blades without damaging them. It is a simple and surprisingly efficient approach to keeping the garbage disposal clean and effective. Put a few ice cubes in the waste disposal and run it as usual once a month.
How often should garbage disposal be cleaned?
This depends on how well you maintain your waste disposal and how frequently you use it.
It would be best if you cleaned your garbage disposal once each week. You should always clear out the disposal if you decide to clean your kitchen thoroughly.
However, if you compost or carefully monitor what goes down your disposal, you might be able to get away with cleaning it every two weeks or so. However, you know it has to be cleaned out the moment you perceive any foul odor in the garbage disposal.
