The Genius Garbage Disposal Trick We Wish We'd Known About Sooner

Cleaning your garbage disposal is one of those kitchen chores you know you need to do, but are you doing it right? If your garbage disposal constantly smells like garbage , most likely not.

Over time, food particles, grease and debris can build up in your garbage disposal, which can lead to clogs and unpleasant smells. Cleaning the disposal removes that trapped food, keeping your kitchen smelling fresh. Plus, a clean garbage disposal just works more efficiently and that can help to prolong the life of the appliance.

So, if you find that your garbage disposal smells even after cleaning, you need to try out this clever hack from content creator @homeserveusa . It's a super simple way to make sure your garbage disposal is clean, fresh-smelling and working properly.

Related: The Clever Dishwasher Trick We Wish We'd Known About Sooner

According to the video they shared on TikTok, you need to loosely fill the sink drain with ice cubes, then add coarse salt (regular salt is fine, too, but coarse is best) and citrus peels or used citrus wedges (like lemons and oranges). Then, run the cold water and turn on the garbage disposal.

You'll keep the disposal running until the ice is pulverized. Once that's done, turn off the disposal and rinse away any nasty residue that may have come up with warm water.

The ice helps clean and sharpen the blades, and the salt acts as a mild abrasive to clean the inside of the disposal. The citrus peels are great for deodorizing the disposal. If you don't have citrus peels, you can use vinegar and baking soda.

If you use the vinegar and baking soda method, though, do it after you have run the salt and ice through the disposal and rinsed away the residue. You'll let the solution fizz for a few minutes. Once it stops, run hot water through the disposal to flush away any remaining residue.

The drain may or may not spit up a bunch of nasty-looking (and smelling) slush. If that happens, just wash it down the drain. This is a simple way to get your garbage disposal clean and smelling better in minutes—and it really works!

Up Next:

Related: The Super Smart Kitchen Sponge Trick We Wish We’d Known About Sooner