Keep Your Garbage Disposal in Tip-Top Shape with These Maintenance Tips

Is there a less than pleasant odor coming from your garbage disposal? This is a sign that you need to do some basic maintenance work on it. Your disposal does a lot of work grinding and liquefying scraps of food, and performing a bit of maintenance work will keep it running smoothly for years to come.

How Do Garbage Disposals Work?

When you put food scraps into your disposal, they first enter the upper hopper. At the bottom of this upper hopper is a plate with several holes or slits in it. On top of this is an impeller blade that does two jobs — pulverize the waste and push it to the bottom hopper sitting below.

Once the liquefied slurry goes through the impeller plate into the bottom hopper, gravity and liquid flow draws it down the drain. If you put something that’s not easy to grind up into your disposal, accumulated food waste can seep into the cracks and crevices of your disposal. Food gunk can also accumulate on the impeller blades, putting off a rank smell.

How Do You Keep Your Disposal Running?

A bit of maintenance can keep your disposal running smoothly without any discernible smell. At least once a day, run hot water and dish soap into a stoppered sink, so suds can build up. Then, take out the plug and turn on the disposal. The soap and hot water will clean out any fresh debris.

Periodically, run ice through your disposal for a deep cleaning. Fill the upper hopper with ice cubes, and then top it with a cup of rock salt. Afterwards, turn on the water, and turn on the disposal. The ice and salt will scrub the impeller blades clean. Let the water keep running for at least 30 seconds after the ice disappears. Have a plumbing professional clear your drain and perform periodic maintenance on your disposal.

A professional can ensure your garbage disposal is working properly and that it will continue working with no problems.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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