The biggest complaint about disposers is odor. Simply by operating your disposer properly and following a maintenance program, that nasty smell can be eliminated. Grind ALL the food you put in it. After your disposer has finished grinding, leave it and the water running for 30 seconds. Speaking of water, use COLD water only. Hot water can harden food and cause it to cling to the sides of the unit and can cause clogs in the drain pipe. By not completely flushing the food away, you are asking for the growth of bacteria and odor. Operate your disposer DAILY in case you didn’t follow all of the previous operation suggestions…just saying! Every manufacturer has its do’s and don’ts on what their disposer will and will not grind; read their instruction manual to ensure proper use. There are some items all manufacturers will agree on to not put in your disposer: no metal, glass, plastic, or human digits.
Some waste disposers will begin to smell if food and/or mold has accumulated under the “splash guard or baffle”...the black rubbery thing in the neck of the disposer. Some manufacturers design them to be removable for cleaning (use hot,soapy water. Do not put in your dishwasher.). Others are permanently installed….something you should check before purchasing a disposer.
There are several easy, inexpensive, effective ways to clean your disposer:
1. ICE – turn your cold water on and feed ice cubes (I would use a bin full) into your disposer. A great way to remove any residue on the sides of the unit.
2. CITRUS – cut up either a lemon, orange, or lime. Cold water on, and again, feed pieces of the fruit into the unit. The peel will help eliminate any unpleasant odors too.
3. Pour ½ cup of baking soda in the disposer and let it set an hour. Add a cup of vinegar and you will create a lava effect. Rinse with cold water.
4. There are several disposer cleaners you can also purchase.
The above cleaning methods (your choice) should be done every couple of weeks.
Of course at this point, you know I’m going to plug Franke’s disposers. A unique anti-microbial agent, call Bio-Shield, is permanently molded in the wet components of their garbage disposers to eliminate bacteria causing odors. It also inhibits the growth of a wide range of microorganisms. Also, their splash guard is removable for easy cleaning. Where can you purchase a Franke disposer? Of course, Don’s Appliances.
