Garbage Disposal Maintenance Tips

As the weather starts warming up you might notice an odor coming from your garbage disposal. Yost Appliance, your home for Santa Barbara appliance repair, knows this smell can be due to many factors. It’s wise to call us right away when you need any garbage disposal repair services, but here are some tips you can use to keep your garbage disposal running smooth and smelling clean between visits:

• General Wear and Tear: Every year or so, get down under the sink and feel around the outside of your garbage disposal unit. Look for any water seepage, cracks or leaks that can lead to major problems. If you notice anything unusual, call for our Santa Barbara appliance repair services right away.
• Watch What You Put in the Disposal: Always try to use cold water in the disposal. Although garbage disposals are great at chopping up many food items, there are some things you just should not put in them. For example, rough or fibrous foods such as broccoli, celery, string beans, banana skins, corn husks and even potato peels can get tangled in the blades or might end up sticking to the sides of the unit. Also be careful about dumping too much food, starchy foods or coffee grounds down the sink as they can clog the pipes.
• Regular Maintenance: It is important to try to keep your garbage disposal clean at all times. When you are washing dishes in the sink, just pour a little extra dish soap inside the disposal, and let it run for a minute or so with some cold water. Run your unit on a regular basis to prevent the build-up of rust and corrosion. Every so often you can also chop up some ice cubes in the unit to help keep it clean, sharpen the blades, and break up any accumulated grease.
• Odor Control: Throw some cut-up lemons or orange peels into the disposal and grind them up using warm tap water. Occasionally grinding up small, hard materials such as small chicken and fish bones, egg shells, and small fruit pits can also provide a scouring action that can help remove materials from the sides of the unit. If the odor is very strong, you can pour some baking soda and white vinegar in, and let them sit for a few minutes before flushing.

Better yet, call Yost Appliance Repair at 805-966-2846 for Santa Barbara appliance repair services, and let us handle all of your garbage disposal maintenance chores.  

About Yost Appliance, Inc.: Yost Appliance is the oldest service company in Santa Barbara, CA. Its expert technicians provide 100% guaranteed satisfaction for Santa Barbara dishwasher repair, small appliance repair service, washer and dryer repair, and refrigerator repair. Visit the website at http://www.yostappliance.com for information on appliance and stove repair in Santa Barbara. “Like” the Facebook page to receive Santa Barbara appliance maintenance tips. Call 805-966-2846 for an appliance repair appointment and mention the website to receive a special Internet discount.