Post Thanksgiving Cleaning: Tips for Your Kitchen Garbage Disposal

Thanksgiving feasts are, in our opinion, one of the best times of the year. With all this feasting, be sure to show your kitchen some extra love. One area that we want to help you focus on this year is your kitchen sink garbage disposal.

Did you know that a dirty garbage disposal and sink drain can be one of the dirtiest places in your kitchen? Bacteria in your drain can actually cause foul odor over time. So, the best way to keep these areas odor free and in good shape is by cleaning them every few weeks.

Below, we’ve put together a few handy tips on how to best clean your garbage disposal after a Thanksgiving Feast.

Tips for a Grime Free Garbage Disposal

Before cleaning, you’ll want to inspect your disposal for any larger pieces of food or debris that can be removed manually. When doing this, it’s important to take some safety precautions.

First, make sure your disposal is switched off. Then, for extra safety, remove it from the overall power source. This power source might be the outlet under the sink, or the overall power to the kitchen via your electrical breaker.

Once power has been cut, shine a flashlight down the drain and check for anything you can easily remove. For safety reasons, we suggest never reaching in to the disposal with your hands. Instead, use a pair of needle nose pliers or tongs to clear the disposal of larger objects.

Once you’ve done this, you can restore power and to your disposal and prepare for for cleaning.

Garbage Disposal Cleaning Method 1

What you’ll need:

• A dozen ice cubes
• 1/2 cup rock salt (we prefer courser salt but table or kosher salt can also work as an alternative)​

First, gather your ice and salt. Then, pour both of them into your disposal. Next, turn on the disposal and run cold water through your drain as it crushes the ice and salt mixture. After 10-15 seconds, the ice will have removed any residue on the blades and the salt will have deodorized your drain.

Garbage Disposal Cleaning Method 2

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup of vinegar
• 1/2 cup of baking soda

For this method, gather and separately measure out your vinegar and baking soda. Next, pour both of these ingredients down the disposal. Let this mixture sit for about 15 minutes. During that time, the vinegar and baking soda mixture will fizz, and kill any bacteria in it’s path.

After you’ve let this sit, it’s time for the final rinse. Plug the garbage disposal with a stopper and fill the sink basin up about 3/4 of the way. Add a teaspoon of dish soap to the water, then unplug stopper, and turn on your garbage disposal. As the sink drains, all the vinegar and baking soda will wash away, leaving you with a fresh kitchen sink and disposal.