Your garbage disposal is an appliance that often gets overlooked in your kitchen. But what would we do without one! It helps keep your drain free of large debris and grime build-up. Many people don’t know that maintaining healthy garbage disposal can be super simple.  Follow the tips below to keep your garbage disposal running smoothly!

Garbage Disposal Do’s

• Do keep your garbage disposal clean.

  • Pour a little dish soap inside and let the garbage disposal run for a minute or so with cold water.

  • Place ice cubes at your disposal and let it run. Ice can help sharpen the blades and bonus…breaks down any grease build-up that has accumulated.

• Do run your garbage disposal regularly.

  • Frequent use prevents rust and corrosion. It makes sure that all parts are moving, and it prevents blockage from building up.

• Do cut large items into smaller pieces.

  • Only put small pieces of waste down the disposal at a time.

camden-las-olas-apartments-fort-lauderdale-florida-kitchen-faucet.jpg

Photo courtesy of Camden – Look at this gorgeous Camden Las Olas kitchen!

Garbage Disposal Don’ts

• Don’t put anything in the garbage disposal that is not biodegradable.

  •  Your garbage disposal is not a trash can. It is for food scraps only.

• Do not use hot water when grinding food waste.

  • Hot water will cause grease to liquefy and accumulate, causing drains to clog.

• Do not grind high fiber foods like corn husks, celery stalks, potato peels, pasta, and nuts.

  • Fibrous foods can tangle and jam the garbage disposal motor and block drains.

• Do not pour grease, oil, or fat into your garbage disposal or drain, ever.

• Do not turn off the motor or water until grinding is completed.

  • Let the water run for at least 15 seconds after grinding is done, flushing out any remaining particles. Then turn off the water.

• Do not use harsh chemicals like bleach or drain cleaners.

  • They can damage blades and pipes. Borax is a natural sink cleaner and sanitizer.

• Do not overstuff you’re your disposal.

  • Unlike your Thanksgiving plate, you don’t need your disposal filled to the brim.

  • Only dispose a small amount of food in at a time, let it clear and then add more.

Photo courtesy of Camden

Garbage disposal a little stinky? Here are a few natural methods to clean your garbage disposal:

• Take a lemon or orange and toss it into the disposal. The fruit's oils and juice naturally clean the walls inside the garbage disposal and create a fresh, long-lasting scent. Once you’ve cleared the odor, make sure the disposal is completely off before fishing out the remainder of the peels left in the system.

• For stubborn odors, pour baking soda into the drain and let it sit for several hours before running the water and garbage disposal.

With Thanksgiving coming up, make sure your apartment garbage disposal is working properly. If not, then reach out to us! Our maintenance team members would be happy to fix it for you right away. You can call your community’s office or put in a service request on MyCamden. 

Need more kitchen cleaning tips? Check out these three amazing and easy kitchen maintenance tips on our SimplyCamden blog.