How to keep your garbage disposal clean (the ice cube trick).

Plumbing · 2 min read · By the OutToday team

A garbage disposal handles a lot of food waste, and residue builds up on the grinding surfaces and walls. A regular quick clean keeps it running well and smelling fresh.

The ice cube trick

1. Make sure the disposal is off. Never put your hand in a disposal, even if it's off.
2. Fill the disposal with ice cubes. Add a handful of rock salt if you have it.
3. Turn on cold water and run the disposal until the ice is gone.
4. Finish by running cold water for another 15 to 30 seconds.

The ice helps knock loose residue from the grinding parts. It doesn't sharpen the blades, but it does help clean them.

For odors

• Grind a few citrus peels, such as lemon or orange, with cold water running
• Sprinkle baking soda into the disposal, follow with a little white vinegar, let it fizz for a few minutes, then flush with cold water

What not to put down the disposal

• Grease, oil, and fat, which coat pipes and cause clogs
• Coffee grounds, which build up into sludge
• Stringy or fibrous foods such as celery, corn husks, and artichokes
• Pasta, rice, and bread, which swell with water
• Eggshells and bones in large amounts
• Non-food items of any kind

Good habits

• Always run cold water while the disposal runs, and for a few seconds afterward
• Feed food waste in gradually instead of all at once
• If the disposal jams or hums, turn it off and don't force it

If it keeps clogging, leaks, makes grinding noises, or the sink drains slowly even with the disposal clean, it's time to call a plumber.