Exactly How to Get Rid of Smell in Garbage Disposal Naturally

This post shares simple steps for how to get rid of the smell in your garbage disposal.

You clean your kitchen regularly but there just seems to be a lingering smell that you can’t pinpoint. 

There’s a strong probability that it’s your garbage disposal! 

Kitchen garbage disposals are SO incredibly convenient but if they are not deep cleaned regularly they can start to cause an unpleasant sour stench. 

I was a professional house cleaner for a few years and each time I entered a new kitchen I knew exactly where to start deep cleaning. Most of us don’t tackle deep cleaning the kitchen drain as often as we probably should! 

Because I cleaned all of those kitchen sinks, I perfected a system that uses natural products (that you probably already have in your home!) and a bit of elbow grease to achieve a garbage disposal that doesn’t stink up your whole kitchen! 

Can’t wait to share it with you but you have to promise you’ll do this simple cleaning routine regularly! (;  

How to Clean Garbage Disposal Smell

1. Identify why your kitchen sink smells

Before I give you the exciting secrets about cleaning your garbage disposal let’s chat a bit about why this smell even forms. 

Reasons your garbage disposal smells 

• Food particles get stuck on the blades, walls, and under your splash guard (the rubbery thing at the top of the garbage disposable) 
• Garbage disposals are moist & dark which is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and mold. 
• Not cleaning it regularly leads to build-up of grime and rotting food 

Ok, sorry, I know this section is really nasty but we can dive into the solutions now. 

2. Give your garbage disposal a good rinse to flush it out

Before we get into the nitty gritty let’s do a quick flush of your garbage disposal. Maybe last night you made a fragrant dinner and a quick flush is all you need. 

Ge things moving by: 

• Running hot water. You can simply turn on the tap or microwave a mug of hot water. The temperature of water used in a garbage disposal is shockingly a big debate (since hot water causes fats to congeal) but when it comes to deep cleaning, I think it’s perfectly ok to use hot water to burn away the gunk. 
• Turn on the disposal. IMPORTANT: let your sink cool down. Then go ahead and run cold water and let your disposal run to flush out anything hanging out in the chamber.  

I hope that did the trick! But if not, keep reading along the guide for some DIY drain cleaning products and tips. 

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3. Natural DIY garbage disposal cleaners 

These are the tried and true sink cleaners I use to get every sink clean that I’ve ever tackled! 

There’s an expensive hyper-specific cleaning product for every area of your home, but I promise these simple ingredients will do the trick. And they’re much more cost-effective! 

How to clean garbage disposal with baking soda and vinegar

Cut through the grease and neutralize odors with this simple recipe:  

1. Pour ½ cup of baking soda into your garbage disposal.
2. Follow with 1 cup of white vinegar. It’ll fizz up so you know it’s working!
3. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes so it has time to dissolve grease and grime. 
4. Run cold water while running the disposal.

How to clean garbage disposal with ice and salt

The abrasive nature of ice and salt will scrub away any gunk stuck on the walls and blades of your garbage disposal. 

1. Start with the disposal off and toss in a handful of ice cubes. 
2. Throw in half a cup of coarse salt like kosher or rock salt. 
3. Turn on some cold water and your disposal. Listen to it crunch away the grime and stench!

How to clean garbage disposal with lemon

I love the refreshing scent of citrus! Don’t limit yourself to just a lemon scent.

1. Save your peels from oranges, lemons, or limes. Drop them into your disposal. 
2. Turn on your cold water and run your garbage disposal. You’ll be left with a light refreshing scent and the fiber will scrub the blades and walls. 

*This method is perfect as a finishing touch. It isn’t as powerful as the other options but it’s perfect for a weekly refresh. 

4. Deep clean the garbage disposal splash guard

You know that rubbery thing that covers your sink drain and disposal? That’s the splash guard! 

It keeps you safe and clean from flying food particles when you are running your disposal. Because it acts as a barrier there is plenty of build-up that gets caught in it. 

There’s a few ways to clean it. Both methods start with ensuring your disposal is OFF before taking the splash guard out. 

• Use a sponge, scrubber brush, or old toothbrush to scrub away any build-up. Warning: this will be the stinkiest part of this whole ordeal. You can use dish soap or some vinegar to get it super clean. 
• If you can take the splash guard out of your disposal, soak it in a mixture of dish soap, baking soda, and vinegar. The grime will melt right off! 

*When you remove the splash guard and have better access to the disposal you can use a long scrub brush to manually scrub the walls of the drain. Again, please triple-check that the disposal is completely off before reaching your hand or cleaning tool down in there. 

5. Maintain a weekly drain cleaning schedule 

Now that your kitchen drain is squeaky clean commit to a cleaning schedule to keep it that way! 

1. Add the end of the day run your disposal with some cold water. This keeps it flushed out regularly so there’s less chance of build-up.
2. Don’t put certain foods down your disposal! (*list of foods later on in the post) 
3. Consider getting a compost bin rather than using your kitchen disposal so often. Here’s a beginner’s guide to composting at home (including urban and suburban areas)! 
4. Use one of the DIY methods above at least once per week. When you do your weekly kitchen deep clean-don’t forget the few minutes it takes to clean the kitchen sink!

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5. Call a professional if the pesky smell won’t go away 

Sometimes DIY projects and cleaning hacks can only go so far. 

As I said, I was a professional house cleaner, not a plumber. 

If you’re reading this you probably aren’t a plumber either so cleaning out the drain line or pipes is probably something to avoid. Tackle the problem now before it becomes a bigger problem! 

How to clean garbage disposal fruit flies

If you use the DIY cleaning tips on this list it should really cut down on the fruit flies that congregate around your garbage disposal.

You can always buy one of those silicone lids to cover your garbage disposal when it’s not in use. 

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What can you put down a garbage disposal

• Small bits of cooked meat
• Soft fruits (e.g., banana peels in small pieces)
• Vegetable scraps (except fibrous ones)
• Citrus peels (for freshening)
• Leftover pasta (in moderation)
• Ice cubes (for scrubbing)
• Bread or small crumbs
• Sauces or liquid leftovers

What can’t you put down a garbage disposal

• Large bones (e.g., beef or pork)
• Fibrous vegetables (e.g., celery, artichokes)
• Potato peels (can create a starchy paste)
• Coffee grounds (a tiny bit is ok)
• Fats, oils, and grease
• Rice or pasta (it expands with water)
• Shells (e.g., seafood shells, eggs)
• Glass or plastic (obviously!)
• Non-food items (e.g., rubber bands, twist ties)

Have any other garbage disposal cleaning hacks? Let us know in the comments below! I’m sure others in the community would love to learn from you as well.

Stay well, 

Maggie

This post is all about the best way to get rid of a smelly kitchen drain.

Other deep cleaning and organization posts you may like: 

14 Coffee Station Organization Ideas Guaranteed to Simplify Your Kitchen Countertops 

9 Powerful Zero Waste Cleaning Products We Are Obsessed With

17 Realistic Tips For How To Organize Snacks in Your Pantry

Genius Tips For How to Organize Water Bottles in Your Kitchen

If you would like to save this kitchen sink disposal cleaning guide for later-pin it!