How to Make a Garbage Disposal Smell Better

Avoid the smell of bacteria, rotting food, and other unpleasant odors in the kitchen. Many homeowners want to find out how to make a garbage disposal smell better. A foul odor rising from where you cook food makes you appear unsanitary and unclean, and it could make your family lose their appetite. Learn how to deodorize garbage disposal, so your family and visitors can enjoy a clean, refreshed, and welcoming kitchen.

Fortunately, it’s simple to figure out how to remove odor from the garbage disposal. Though a stinky garbage disposal is unpleasant, many homeowners experience it occasionally. No matter how frequently you clean it, the nature of the garbage and the high amounts of moisture and food waste make it a prime location for developing foul odors. To determine the solutions, start by defining the reasons for the scent.

Don’t freak out if your regular maintenance fails and your garbage disposal smells terrible. Follow these uncomplicated tips and tricks, deal with the problem immediately, and bring freshness back into your house.

How to Remove Odor From the Garbage Disposal

Don’t stress over figuring out how to make a garbage disposal smell better. Garbage disposals are valuable tools that reduce the amount of food waste going to landfills, yet they quickly lose their attraction if they become smelly.

One of the downsides of having a garbage disposal is its predisposition to harboring food and bacteria, which produces a foul stink. Decaying food and water from the faucets make the ideal environment for odor-causing bacteria to thrive.

Fortunately, there are numerous easy home remedies for how to get rid of sewer smells in a kitchen sink. Choose a technique to best suit the items you have to work with and your personal preferences.

What Causes Garbage Disposal Odor?

A smelly garbage disposal is a common complaint in many households. While the garbage disposal is convenient for eliminating food scraps, the unpleasant odor often accompanying it is not.

Debris and food particles become caught in the garbage disposal blades, and, combined with moisture, encourage the growth of bacteria that emit a foul odor.

Cleaning your garbage disposal may seem challenging as it’s hard to reach down into the drain and difficult to ensure all the blades are thoroughly sanitized. Luckily, there are multiple home hacks for eliminating odor from the garbage disposal and kitchen sink.

How to Make a Garbage Disposal Smell Better

The food waste you put in your garbage disposal is likely responsible for the bad smell. Sometimes, food residue clings to the blades and begins to decay, helped by the dampness from your faucets. Make your own garbage disposal cleaning recipe to help eradicate smells from the drain.

Rotting food has an unpleasant aroma, and the more the food decays, bacteria colonize the area, increasing the smell’s potency. Use simple ingredients like ice, rock salt, and a little lemon juice to deodorize your garbage disposal and leave your kitchen sink smelling like fresh lemon.

Run the ice, rock salt, and lemon juice through your garbage disposal like with food waste. After using the entire mixture, run a cold water rinse through your disposal for at least 30 seconds. If the drain smell continues, repeat.

How to Deodorize Garbage Disposal with Maintenance

Regular drain cleaning with hot water and keeping your kitchen sink and garbage disposal clean go a long way to removing and preventing odor. Food and soap residue in your kitchen sink harbor microorganisms and cause a stink.

Set a regular maintenance schedule to clean and disinfect your entire sink, including the splash guard, treat your garbage disposal, and check the cabinets for leaks or faulty pipes.

Freshen a Garbage Disposal Daily with Boiling Hot Water

Pouring boiling water down the drain is an efficient way to keep a clean garbage disposal daily and prevent a foul smell. Boiling water destroys bacteria by denaturing them through heat to stop odor production.

A kettle full of boiling water loosens food debris from the blades of your garbage disposal and helps it pass down the drain and away from your kitchen before it begins to rot. Boil a kettle and dump the boiling water down the garbage disposal once or twice each day as a preventative to garbage disposal odor.

Get Rid of Odor in a Garbage Disposal

Eliminate germs and their unpleasant smell with a thorough cleaning using a kitchen sink drain deodorizer liquid like baking soda and distilled white vinegar. Baking powder and white vinegar are known for their cleaning powder and deodorizing capabilities.

Pour the powder and vinegar down the garbage disposal and leave them for ten minutes. These components react and fizz to eliminate food particles and microorganisms. Pour boiling water down the disposal to eliminate the filth and kill any remaining bacteria in your drain. Finish with a cold water rinse.

Keep the Garbage Disposal Smelling Fresh

Dish soap tackles tough food stains and greasy streaks. It’s perfect for cleaning your garbage disposal to remove odor-causing bacteria and trapped organic matter.

Add dish soap and warm water to the sink. Remove the stopper after it fills, and turn on the garbage disposal. Let the soapy water slowly drain. The disposal distributes the solution through the pipes and interior components to clean them. For persistent odor, consider using bleach.

Citrus Peel Ousts Garbage Disposal Odor

Save your orange or lemon peel and upcycle them into an uncomplicated garbage disposal cleaner. Citrus has a refreshing scent, making it ideal for fragrancing your kitchen sink. The peels from citrus fruits are thick and rubbery, so the blades in your garbage disposal must break them down.

The peels help brush any food build-up loose and release citrus oils for a pleasant smell. Put your citrus peels down the garbage disposal as you have them, or save them in the freezer and dispose of a larger batch all at once for a better clean and more robust citrus scent.

Check Your Water Heater or Air Conditioning

Though you might not think of water heater or air conditioner repair when you have an unpleasant smell coming from the kitchen sink, this could be the cause. Sulfate bacteria flourish if hot water sits in your water heater tank for an extended period.

Water may be held in the lines when there is a problem with your home’s air conditioner, encouraging bacteria growth. If your well water isn’t adequately treated, odor-producing bacteria are more likely to offer an unpleasant stench.

Find a local expert who handles water heater and air conditioner repairs and ask them to check for odors in your water heater and air conditioner. Avoid drinking water from the faucet and take other safety measures until a professional inspector checks your home.

Are Leaky Pipes Behind the Garbage Disposal Smell?

If cleaning your garbage disposal doesn’t remedy the foul odor around your kitchen sink, it’s time to check the cabinets beneath. Broken seals and leaky pipes introduce moisture around your sink, allowing bacteria to assemble and produce odor.

Though the dampness from a leak usually has a musty, mildew smell, it’s worth checking beneath your sink at least once a month to ensure everything is in working order. Repair a leak promptly, dry and air out the affected area, and replace damaged or rotting wood as necessary to remove the smell.

Commercial Garbage Disposal Cleaning Pods

If you don’t have much time, purchase commercial garbage disposal cleaning pods to take care of your kitchen stench. These specialized pods contain a mixture of cleaners and abrasives to remove food residue, disinfect and deodorize in one easy step.

Always read the label when purchasing a garbage disposal cleaner. Not every product is safe for every home, and some are inappropriate for septic systems.

Learning how to deodorize garbage disposal helps you keep your kitchen fresh. Garbage disposals are handy and make disposing of old food a breeze, yet they quickly become a hassle if they develop a disgusting smell.

Investigate the cause of kitchen sink odor by cleaning your garbage disposal, setting a maintenance routine, and checking for leaks or faulty appliances as the cause of the unpleasant smell. Use straightforward tips and tricks to deodorize your garbage disposal and keep your kitchen pleasant.

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