Garbage disposal units are very helpful pieces of kitchen equipment. Tackling and breaking down food waste, they reduce the chances of our drainpipes becoming clogged with food. However, like most things, garbage disposal units aren’t perfect. Through use, food particles find their way into small surface openings in the unit and become very hard to remove. Without regular cleaning, an environment is created where microbes, stains and odors can thrive. In this blog, we’ll look at how antibacterial technology can be used to minimize the occurrence of microbes on and in your disposal unit, and what you can do to remove odors and keep your unit clean.
Why odors and stains appear within our garbage disposal units
If your garbage disposal is starting to produce some unpleasant odors, you’ll no doubt be wondering why. Let’s face it, the units are difficult to clean, and as a result, we can leave it weeks or even months before we realize that it requires some attention. However, did you know that one of the biggest causes of undesirable odors within your garbage disposal is microbes? The warm, dark environment inside the unit, combined with a build-up of food particles, encourages microbial growth. Overtime, this growth can assist and strengthen issues such as stains and odors. To tackle the source of the problem, we need to fight against harmful microbes. Regular cleaning can help with the fight, but as mentioned, many of us don't find the time to clean our units as often as needed. So what can be done to assist consumers?
The power of antimicrobial protection can help
Antimicrobial protection is now being built into a variety of garbage disposal accessories, helping to fight against microbial growth on the surface of the product it has been built into. Accessories such as a Microban-protected garbage disposal splash guard can cover the opening of your unit. When food is placed into the unit, the protection on this splash guard will work to inhibit any microbes that it comes into contact with. Along with splash guards, disposal stoppers that sit in the unit itself and work to filter water and small waste particles can help in the fight against stain and odor-causing microbes. For these accessories and the many more that are available, the antimicrobial technology cannot be wiped off and does not wash away, making them the perfect tools to fight against microbes. This is why purchasing antimicrobial accessories for your disposal unit is a smart choice.
How to keep your garbage disposal clean
If you’d like to keep your garbage disposal fresher and cleaner for longer, we’d highly recommend purchasing unit accessories which have antimicrobial protection built in. However, there are also a number cleaning methods which you can use to limit stains and odors. To clean your unit and keep it smelling fresh, we’d recommend carrying out the following cleaning routine every couple of weeks.
1. Pour ice and rock salt into your garbage disposal
Place one cup of ice and one cup of rock salt into the unit. If you don’t have rock salt, replace it with vinegar.1
2. Run the cold water for 10 seconds
Run the cold water into the disposal for 10 seconds. Do not use hot water as this can melt the fats in the food that you are grinding and clog up your disposal. The ice and rock salt/vinegar will help to clean the inside of your unit.
3. Use oranges or lemons to naturally freshen up your unit
Put some orange peels or lemon peels into the unit as this will help to clean the blades. Then place some slices from the fruit into your garbage disposal, and the citrus oils from the orange or lemon will naturally deodorize and freshen up the unit.
Sources:
1 – How to safely clean a garbage disposal unit [Source]
