It’s no secret that citrus fruits are some of the best things to eat for overall health. But can they also help clean your kitchen appliances?
Some people believe that lemons and limes are natural garbage disposal cleaners. Today we’re going to explore whether or not that’s true. Keep reading to learn more!
What Is the Purpose of a Garbage Disposal?
Simply put, a garbage disposal is a device that grinds food waste into small pieces. That makes it safe to flush down the drain. This can be a valuable tool in preventing clogged pipes and unsanitary conditions in the home.
How Can You Clean a Stinky Garbage Disposal?
If your garbage disposal starts to smell, there are a few simple things you can do to clean it. First, run some cold water down the disposal and turn it on for a few seconds. This will help to flush out any food left behind.
Next, cut up a lemon or lime and put the pieces down the disposal. As the disposer grinds up the citrus, the fresh scent will help to neutralize any odors.
You can also add a few tablespoons of baking soda to the disposal and let it run for a minute or two. The baking soda will absorb any lingering smells.
Finally, be sure to run the disposal regularly to keep it from getting full of food scraps.
Can You Put Lime Peels Down the Garbage Disposal?
Yes, you can put lime peels down the garbage disposal. In fact, it’s a great way to help clean the blades and to make the disposal smell fresh.
The citric acid in limes, oranges, and lemons, helps to clean the blades of the garbage disposal. The citrus smell from the fruit also reduces any stinky odors.
Can You Put Whole Lemons Down the Garbage Disposal?
While lemons and other citrus fruits can be a great way to clean and deodorize a garbage disposal, do not put whole lemons or other fruits into the disposal. Whole fruits are hard for the disposal to grind up and run the risk of large chunks making their way into the drain line and clogging it.
It’s best to cut up the lemon or other fruit into smaller pieces before putting it into the garbage disposal. And always run cold water into the drain while running the disposal, whether there are lemon or lime chunks or anything else in the disposal.
Does Lemon Peel Damage a Garbage Disposal?
The citric acid from the lemon peel can damage the garbage disposal, but it doesn’t have to. If you chop up a lemon, throw it in the drain, and then run the disposal, you most definitely run the risk of the acid damaging the metal in the disposal, as well as chunks of peel clogging up the works.
It’s okay to use lemon peel or the peel of other citrus fruits, but you have to do it in the appropriate way.
Turn on the cold water in the drain with the disposal. With the cold water running and the disposal turned on, drop in your chunks of lemon and/or lemon peel. Even after the lemon peel has washed down the drain, let the cold water run for about another 30 seconds or so to be sure everything has cleared the pipes and the disposal blades have been thoroughly rinsed.
Does Putting Ice in the Garbage Disposal Clean It?
Yes, believe it or not, ice cubes are a great way to clean the garbage disposal. Though it doesn’t give off the nice citrusy smell of a lemon or lime, grinding ice cubes in the disposal helps knock debris and food waste loose so it can wash down the drain.
Removing these smaller bits and pieces helps cut down on the odors that build-up when food particles are left lodged in the disposal. Plus, ice simply melts and washes down the drain if it doesn’t get diced up by the disposal.
What’s the Worst Thing to Put Down a Garbage Disposal?
Probably the worst thing to put down a garbage disposal is anything that is greasy or fatty. Fat from meat, cooking oil, actual grease, all of these things are notorious for gumming up the works. They stick to the inside of the disposal and the pipes in the plumbing to wreak havoc on everything that comes after.
They are far from the only things that shouldn’t make it into a garbage disposal, however. Pastas, rice, beans, potato skins, coffee grounds, and the like can also clog up the disposal.
There are also things that can damage the disposal beyond clogging the drain or gumming the blades. Seafood shells, bones, egg shells, fruit pits, and even corn husks can get lodged in amongst the blades and cause damage to the disposal.
Remember, a garbage disposal isn’t the trash compactor from Star Wars. It is intended for softer foods that could almost be turned into a liquid in a food processor. The food waste in a disposal has to be able to be ground up into tiny particles that can be whisked down the drain with cold water.
How Often Should You Clean a Garbage Disposal?
All in all, cleaning your garbage disposal with lemons, limes, and other citrus fruits is a great idea. Not only will it leave your kitchen smelling amazing, but it will also help keep your disposal clean and free of buildup.
But how often should you go the extra step and specifically clean your garbage disposal? A lot depends on how well you use the disposal in the first place.
Always be sure to use cold water when running the garbage disposal and allow the water to run for at least 30 seconds beyond the grinding of the food. This will ensure you can whisk everything away and the disposal is as clean as it can be.
Even then, you need to specifically clean the disposal once every one to two weeks to keep it smelling fresh and functioning well. With proper usage and regular cleaning, your garbage disposal should work well without foul smelling odors for a long time.
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