How to Safely Clean a Garbage Disposal

Before you start cleaning your garbage disposal unit, there are certain safety measures you need to take. 

Safety Precautions

First, key safety precautions first:

• Switch the power OFF on your unit and 
• Check whether you have done this properly by trying the power OFF before you even think about starting to clean it.
• NEVER put your hands down the unit

 

What you need

What you will need for the cleaning as follows:

• A pair of tongs or plier.
• Some ice and rock salt or vinegar.
• Lemon peels, and make sure any pips are not present.

 

What NOT to Do

Things you should never do when you’re cleaning a garbage disposal unit:

• The number one mistake many people make. NEVER EVER use bleach or other corrosive cleaning liquids with your garbage disposer. I once did this and ended up having to buy a new unit because the parts inside were really affected, rendering the whole unit useless.
• Never use hot water when you’re rinsing the disposer. Hot water can melt certain fats that may be lurking beneath, and this will just cause jams.

 

Step by Step Cleaning Procedure

To ensure you don’t get a smell issue in the kitchen, you should give it a good clean once every 2-4 weeks. To find out how you actually go about cleaning your garbage disposer, here's a quick video on how you can get started with  the step-by-step cleaning instructions.