How to Keep Your Garbage Disposal Blades Clean

A garbage disposal does not actually have knife-sharp blades. It has impellers that fling food against a grind ring, and when that ring loads up with grease and fibrous scraps, the whole unit slows down and starts to smell.

The best maintenance is boring: run cold water while the disposal is on, keep it running a few seconds after the noise clears, and skip the things that wrap or expand, like celery, artichoke leaves, potato peels, rice and pasta. Grease is the worst offender because it coats the ring and the drain line downstream.

For cleaning, grind a tray of ice cubes with a handful of coarse salt to knock buildup loose, then follow with citrus peels for odor. Avoid chemical drain cleaners, they sit on the metal and do more harm than good.

If the unit hums but does not turn, it is jammed rather than dead, and that is a quick fix. If it leaks from the bottom, the housing seal is gone and it needs replacing. Either way, call us at 209.838.1000 and we will tell you straight which one you have.