This Is the Best Way To Clean a Garbage Disposal, According to an Expert

What kind of things do you grind up in your garbage disposal? Whether it’s vegetable scraps, banana peels, or dinner leftovers, little bits of food always seem to linger. The sink can harbor some of the most dangerous germs in the home because that’s where we clean or prepare raw meat and fresh produce.

The disposal can teem with salmonella, E. coli, and other harmful bacteria. Plus, that’s where you also wash your hands, rinsing away even more germs through the drain and disposal. It’s no wonder my garbage disposal sometimes smells like something crawled into it and died!

How Often You Should Clean Your Garbage Disposal

Even if you frequently blast hot water down the drain, that's not enough to properly clean your disposal and rid yourself of the pungent aromas.

“Running really hot water helps through reducing the level of microorganisms present, but it may not remove the food particulates that serve as a source of food for microorganism growth,” says Martin Bucknavage, an expert in food safety in the Penn State Department of Food Science.

Bucknavage says you should clean your garbage disposal thoroughly at least once a month.

Two Ways To Clean Your Garbage Disposal

One of the easiest ways to clean a disposal is with the natural combination of baking soda and boiling water. Start by sprinkling about 1/2 cup of baking soda into the disposal. Sprinkle it with just enough water to create a thick paste, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Then, flush with boiling water and turn on the disposal to let the mixture scour the inside of the unit.

Another excellent option for cleaning a garbage disposal is using citrus peels. When you have a spent lemon, orange, or lime, cut up the rinds into smaller pieces and toss them down the disposal. Turn on the disposal for a few seconds to grind up the aromatic rinds. “The peels will serve to provide physical scrubbing while the citrus oils have an antimicrobial effect,” says Bucknavage. “You will notice the nice citrus smell after running it.”

You can even toss in a few ice cubes for extra scrubbing action and to help slough off food particles stuck in the disposal. 

How To Clean the Splash Guard

The rubber collar, also called a splash guard, is the flexible ring at the opening of the disposal that helps keep food inside the device. You can imagine how germy and gunky it can get over time. 

Remove the splash guard and clean it in warm, soapy water or run it through a dishwasher cycle. If you wash it by hand, use an old toothbrush and lots of dish soap to make sure you get into all the nooks and crannies. If the collar is torn or really grimy, replace it with a new one.

How To Deep-Clean Your Garbage Disposal

“If you clean your disposal regularly using at least one of the above methods, that should be enough to keep your disposal from getting too dirty and funky,” says Bucknavage. But if you want to really go all out with your cleaning routine, you can do a really deep clean.

1. Turn off the breaker connected to the garbage disposal for safety.
2. Remove the splash guard and examine the inside of the disposal with a flashlight.
3. Use a brush or tongs—but never your fingers—to remove any stuck-on debris. 
4. Clean the splash guard, replace it, and turn the breaker back on.
5. Finish by running some baking soda and boiling water or citrus peels and ice through the disposal for a thorough cleaning.