At Bill Howe, we know that no one enjoys the odor of rotting food rising from their sink and garbage disposal. Many websites offer natural solutions for getting rid of garbage disposal odor, including the idea of grinding up lemons in the disposal. Some claim that the clean, fresh lemon scent can eliminate any odors and make a big difference in your kitchen.
Can you put lemons in the garbage disposal to keep the sink smelling fresh? The short answer is yes. However, there’s a right way to do it, and tossing lemon juice and pieces in the disposal can lead to unexpected problems for your sink drain. We’ll cover all that and more below.
Understanding Garbage Disposal Odors
There’s no denying the usefulness of your garbage disposal. After all, it comes in handy when you need to grind up unused food portions while washing dishes. However, over time, it can start to smell awful. The old throwing a lemon in the garbage disposal trick does make it smell a bit better. But what makes it smell so bad in the first place?
Causes of Odors:
Accumulation of food particles and debris: Many people like to clear food off plates in the sink rather than dump it in the trash can. Over time, the buildup of lingering organic matter, such as food particles and debris, will decay and create a stink.
Bacterial growth and mildew: Food particles don’t always drain entirely and can become hard to remove. If not cleaned routinely, bacteria and mildew will grow and smell awful.
Importance of Regular Maintenance: It’s a good practice to make a routine out of keeping the disposal clean. With routine maintenance, you can prevent odors from stinking up your kitchen. Fortunately, you can maintain your garbage disposal yourself using these common maintenance practices:
- Baking Soda and Water: Pour 1 cup of baking soda and 2 cups of vinegar down the garbage disposal drain. Let it fizz for 15 minutes, and then flush it with water. This will help clean the system out and eliminate odors.
- Use plenty of cold water: When using the garbage disposal, make sure to use plenty of cold water and let it run for about 20 seconds after you’ve turned it off. Using plenty of cold water is an excellent way to carry away any lingering food particles.
- Try the flesh of lemons in garbage disposal: We don’t recommend putting any fruit peels in the disposal, as they’re difficult to grind. However, you can try the flesh of a lemon, but the results on this are mixed.
The Role of Lemon in Odor Control
You can use lemons to freshen up some odors in your kitchen. For instance, some claim that by microwaving a bowl of lemon juice, it can get rid of lingering food odors. Though they might help to mask these smells, from our experience, there are better ways to combat garbage disposal odor.
How Lemon Works in Garbage Disposals
When you drop lemon flesh into the garbage disposal, the acidity cuts through grease and residue. Unfortunately, the acidity in lemon juice can also damage parts of the plumbing system, so we don’t recommend it.
Proper Method for Using Lemon in Garbage Disposal
We don’t recommend using lemons in your garbage disposal, but here’s how you do it if you want to use them to freshen up your disposal:
Instructions:
- Use lemon juice instead of lemon peels.
- Turn on the cold water and disposal.
- Slowly feed the lemon juice into the disposal.
- Run the disposal until the lemon is fully ground and the smell is noticeable.
Common Myths and Misconceptions
While it’s true that tossing lemon pieces or peels in the garbage disposal will deodorize and make your sink smell good after washing dishes, it can do some harm. Lemons’ acidic content could corrode pipes, which can cause significant plumbing problems, including water damage.
Lemon peels and slices can also clog your drain and get stuck in the disposal. To avoid any future plumbing problems, don’t freshen up your sink with lemons more often than necessary.
When to Call a Professional Plumber
The only way to prevent clogged and smelly garbage disposal is to use the disposal properly (put a small amount of food particles in at a time) and rinse the disposal well after each use. This will keep it clean and smelling fresh. Our San Diego plumbers recommend baking soda and vinegar with a hot water flush to thoroughly clean the disposal to avoid odors and grime buildup. Unfortunately, if your drain is already smelly and clogged, then no amount of warm water or garbage disposal cleaner, such as bleach or deodorizer, will eliminate the smell and foul odors.
If you need a clog expertly cleared, an experienced San Diego plumber from Bill Howe will come to your home and offer a free estimate to remove the clog and clean your garbage disposal. Once the location of the stoppage is determined, the technician can resolve the issue immediately by removing the particles and the unpleasant odor, leaving you with a fresh-smelling drain.
Contacting plumbing professionals for clogged drains and pipes is common sense, but there are other reasons, too. For example, if the odors are persistent and just won’t disappear despite regular cleaning, there may be severe underlying plumbing issues, such as a sewage backup. Sewage backups release airborne contaminants, and inhaling them for long periods is a severe health hazard. Call a professional to protect your home and your family.
Disposal malfunctions are another reason to call a certified plumber. Strange noises, constant clogs, or leaks are all common disposal malfunctions. You’ll also want to contact a certified plumbing professional if the disposal’s efficiency is significantly reduced or completely broken down.
While replacing a garbage disposal can be a DIY fix, hiring a professional is your best bet. Plumbing professionals will thoroughly inspect your plumbing system and diagnose any underlying issues on the spot. You can also count on plumbing pros for safe and efficient repairs or replacements.
Keep Your Kitchen Fresh and Functional!
There’s no denying that using lemon in a garbage disposal will help keep it smelling fresh. But scheduling routine maintenance with professional plumbers will keep your kitchen functional! Bill Howe offers an exclusive Family Plan, which includes whole home plumbing inspections and sewer camera inspections to prevent plumbing. We also offer flexible financing options so that you can protect your home, even during plumbing emergencies.
To schedule an appointment or receive a free estimate, please contact us at 1-800-BILL-HOWE (1-800-245-5469).
