2. The splash guard: where the smell lives
Lift each rubber flap with the brush handle and look underneath: black or brown gunk is common. Scrub the underside and the top with an old toothbrush or a bottle brush, dish soap and hot water. On many models the guard pops out for a proper wash; check your manual.
3. Ice and coarse salt
Fill the disposal with ice cubes (about 2 cups), add a handful of coarse salt or rock salt, turn on the cold water and run the disposal until the grinding sound stops. The ice and salt knock grime off the grinding chamber walls.
4. Baking soda, then hot water
Turn it off. Pour in 1/2 cup of baking soda, wait 10 minutes, then run hot tap water for 30 seconds. (A splash of vinegar after the baking soda makes it fizz, but most of the cleaning comes from the ice and the brushing.)
5. Citrus for the smell
Grind a few small pieces of lemon, lime or orange peel with cold water running. Cut them small; big peels can jam.
What should never go down a disposal
| Do not put in | Why |
|---|---|
| Grease, oil, fat | Coats pipes and hardens into clogs further down |
| Coffee grounds | Pack into a sludge in the drain |
| Eggshells (in quantity) | Membranes and grit collect in pipes |
| Pasta, rice, bread | Swell with water and clog |
| Potato peels | Starchy paste that sticks |
| Fibrous foods: celery, corn husks, artichokes, onion skins | Strings wrap around the parts |
| Bones, fruit pits | Too hard for most home units |
| Non-food: twist ties, utensils, glass | Jams and damage |
| Chemical drain cleaners | Can damage the unit and splash back caustic liquid |
Small amounts of soft food scraps with plenty of cold water are what disposals are designed for. The rest goes in the trash or compost.
Why cold water while grinding?
Cold water keeps fats solid so they are chopped and flushed instead of melting and coating the pipes. Run cold water before, during and for about 15 seconds after grinding.
If it is jammed or humming
- Turn it off and unplug it or switch off the breaker.
- Look for the reset button on the bottom of the unit under the sink; press it.
- Many disposals have a hex socket on the bottom center. The small hex wrench that came with the unit turns the motor by hand to free a jam.
- Remove the obstruction with tongs, restore power, run cold water and try again.
If it still hums, leaks from the bottom or trips the breaker repeatedly, call a plumber or the manufacturer.
Weekly 1-minute habit
Once a week, scrub under the splash guard and grind a few ice cubes. It keeps the smell from ever building up. Add it to kitchen day on our weekly checklist. If the whole kitchen still smells, the other usual suspects are the dishwasher filter and the kitchen sponge.
Sources
Always follow the label on your product. Labels are the legal use instructions in the US.
Save this for cleaning day. Pin it so you can find it later.
Save to Pinterest
Read next How to Clean a Washing Machine (Front Load and Top Load) So Clothes Stop Smelling 
