What can I do about my garbage disposal odor?

[SweetTooth]

We put in a garbage disposal last year when we did our kitchen remodel. I had not ever had one, so I was really excited. I only put food in it occasionally (maybe 4-5 times a week). When I use it, I make sure to run PLENTY of cold water while it is running, as well as for about 30 seconds after the food is ground up. I don't leave food sit in it - I always run it if I have put food in it.)

The problem is that on occasion as I walk by the sink, I smell this terrible odor. I have used 1/2 lemon in the disposal and the smell goes away, but I am going through too many lemons!!!

Does anyone have any ideas of what may be causing the problem or how to solve it?

Thanks!

[Robyn1007]

Hmmm, I have always used lemons. I will use just the leftovers after juicing them too. I remember a long time ago I used to find some special cleaner but I haven't seen it in a long time and I think it was more expensive than lemons.

Also, I try not to put anything really stinky down the disposal, like fish. (Though my roommate did this week so I need to stock up on extra lemons and go at it this weekend) :(

Robyn

[mbrogier]

If you dump ice down the disposal and let it thaw for a bit and then run the disposal that will clean it really well. That's what our Viking disposal said to do to clean it. I use lemon peels that I have left over from juicing...its the peel that cleans it. (So you don't waste good lemons.) You could also run some bleach water or lysol water down the disposal. A lot of times the smell comes from the rubber piece on the mouth of the disposal...you can soak that in hot bleach water or run it through your dishwasher. If you were to take it out I'm sure you would be surprised at how gunky it was on the back. :eek:

[wallycat]

I do the bleach or pine-sol.
Orange peels work well too, but if the smell doesn't let up, I get the bleach out.

[Robyncz]

What mbrogier said. . .

My plumber told me to run ice through it periodically. According to him, it scours all the gunk out of the insides and sharpens the blades, too.

[Mamasue]

I also love to grind up the lemons but inbetween when I don't have any handy I will pour some boiling water and white vinegar down on both sides of the sink (I have double sinks). I always have a gallon jug of white vinegar hanging around for cleaning.

[leightx]

I thought my disposal was stinky until I pulled out the black rubber seal (the thing you push the food through) - nasty!!! I clean that thing off about once a month and have never had a problem with smells since.

[Leisa M]

I will have to remember the seal next time I get stinky. I have used baking soda in the past with some success.

[colleency]

When I first moved in, our landlord provided us with some packages of disposal cleaner. You throw the whole package in, grind it up, and it cleans the disposal...that's the theory. The sink kept smelling awful. I finally stopped using them and the stink went away!

[SweetTooth]

Crazy question, do you use WHOLE ice cubes?

I didn't know the black rubber seal was removable :o . I will have to check that out too!!

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Wendy w]

Lemons and baking soda have always worked for me.

[Jewel]

I remember a magazine article that said sprinkle baking soda into the disposal and get some onto the rubber seal, then gently pour a stream of vinegar into the disposal and onto the seal, then let it sit. It bubbles like peroxide and generally does the deed.

I also see things like this occasionally in catalogs and I think I may have to take the plunge! ;)

http://shopwynns.com/fuller/garbd.htm

http://shopwynns.com/fuller/W97075.jpg

[mbrogier]

For the ice cubes...it depends on how big your ice cubes are. My ice cubes are moon shaped, so I would dump some in and let them sit in there for about 15 minutes so they melted a bit. You can also run them down the drain with hot water. If you have huge ice cubes, you could let them melt more so it didn't take forever for them to get chopped up.

[Chiffonade]

When the serious funk rises - especially after food-fests like holiday meals - I pour bleach down the disposal. I wait a few minutes, then run COLD water down the drain. I wait another few minutes, then run more COLD water through and turn on the disposal. I do it in three steps mostly to avoid splashing of the bleach. It definitely works to kill the odor.

[granolagirl]

I either use lemon peels, ice cubes or baking soda and vinegar.

[Escher]

Also, make sure that the disposal was installed with a "trap".... that's the little U-shaped thing underneath....

If there is no trap, liquids go down the drain, and odors come up....

A properly installed trap will trap enough liquid to completely seal the tube at the lowest part of the U.

http://www.insinkerator.com/install_tip/insk0111_09.gif
(black is the power, gray is the sewer)
if your sewer line goes straight to the disposal, that's a problem.