Getting Rid
of Garbage Disposal Odor.
A kitchen can be sparkling clean, but if a bad odor
lingers, even the cleanest kitchen won’t seem quite as clean. Kitchen garbage disposals are usually forgotten about
- until they develop a bad odor.
Bad odors from garbage disposals aren’t uncommon. With food being disposed
of on a daily basis, it’s no wonder why garbage disposals develop bad odors from time to time. Old food gets trapped
in crevices, on the splash guard, and odor-causing bacteria eventually begins to form. Bacteria are responsible for creating
foul odors, and if you get rid of bacteria, you’ll get rid of the odors.
Cleaning
the Disposal
Before getting rid of garbage disposal odors it’s important first clean the garbage
disposal. If you don’t clean it first, you’ll end up covering up odors instead of getting rid of them. Your dirty
garbage disposal will go from smelling like something rotten to something rotten and whatever you’re using
to cover up the bad smell.
About once a month, simply fill the disposer side of the sink with hot water, and add
about 1/8 cup of grease-cutting dishwashing liquid. After the sink is full, remove the stopper, and turn on the disposal while
continuing to run hot water. The hot water combined with degreaser will effectively clean away grease and grime, and it will
also help clean out the pipes in the process.
Splash Guard Cleaning
Sometimes
bad odors aren’t coming from inside the disposer, but actually from the underside of the splash guard. The rubber splash
guard eventually becomes covered with grime and slime. Periodically wipe the underside of the splash guard with deodorizing
kitchen cleaner or a mixture of bleach and water. This alone might solve your smelly garbage disposal problem.
Citrus Peel
Don’t waste your money buying expensive garbage disposal deodorizers.
Once the unit is clean, consider deodorizing it by tossing in lemon, lime, or orange peels. Your garbage
disposal will smell as fresh as a citrus grove. Do this once every couple of weeks along with regular cleaning, and your disposal
won’t have a chance to develop a bad odor.
Mint Extract
If
you prefer the scent of mint over citrus, give your disposer a fresh clean scent with a little mint extract. After the garbage
disposal has been cleaned, pour several drops of mint extract into the unit. Allow the mint extract to remain in the disposer
a few hours before turning it on and rinsing it away. Your disposer will smell fresh and clean for days.
Vinegar
Ice
You wouldn’t want to put this ice in a glass of cola, but ice made with vinegar does wonders
for smelly garbage disposals. Fill an ice tray with a mixture of white vinegar and water. Freeze this concoction, and put
it down your smelly disposal while running cold water. The ice will help sharpen the blades, and the vinegar will deodorize
the unit. Make a tray of vinegar ice every other week so your garbage disposal continues to smell clean and fresh. Just make
sure you label this ice so someone doesn’t get an unpleasant surprise.
Preventing Clogged Toilets.
It starts with simple changes!
Anything that isn’t biodegradable should be put in the trash can instead of the toilet. Or it should be
recycled when possible. The theory goes, if you don’t know, don’t
flush. And if there’s plastic in it, definitely don’t flush it. Wastes
that belong in the trash can instead of in the toilet include medications, cotton swabs, cotton balls, bandage wrappers, and
wipes of any kind (baby wipes or cleaning cloths). Condoms too! They go in the trash. And, disposable diapers and minipads
are definite trash items. You'll also conserve water by not using your toilet
as as a trash can. Each unnecessary flush of trash uses at least 1.6 gallons of water or more depending on your toilet.
Beyond Toilets
Flushing
the wrong thing down the toilet can damage your household plumbing, your environment and your wastewater treatment system.
But what goes down sinks and other household drains is also a waste issue. The disposal rules for toilets also apply to drains.
The
Trash Can List
If it isn't biodegradable, put it in the
trash can instead of the toilet. Or recycle it.
These wastes go in the trash: - tampons
- condoms
- unused medications
- cotton swabs
- cotton balls
- bandages
and wrappers
- wipes of any kind (even if they say flushable)
- disposable diapers
- nursing
pads
- mini or maxipads
- kitty
litter
Toilet Warranties
DO NOT put cleaning agents such as chlorine pucks or cleaners in your
toilet tank, as this deteriorates the rubber flapper and plastic parts of the working pieces. In many cases your toilet
warranty will become void if these cleaning agents are used.
Added Note:
Please do not use any type of blue cleaner (tablets or liquid) in your toilet tank, plumbers
hate it.
One reason is that, if a repair is needed on the interior of the tank, the plumbers hands will turn Smurf Blue.
The other is that, although it may look pretty in the bowl, if not careful it will stain grout lines and walls if the
toilet needs to be removed for a repair or replaced.
Flushing a Residential Water
Heater
Flushing your residential water heater is something that should be
done on a regular basis. The procedure is as follows: Once the water is clear, shut off the bottom drain valve
and remove the garden hose.
* Be advised, you should always seek a professional for your plumbing concerns.
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