The ice cube trick definitely helps with glass bits, but I'd be cautious about baking soda and vinegar. Occasional use is probably fine, but vinegar can be pretty acidic, and over time it might degrade rubber seals or corrode metal parts inside. If you're worried about buildup or odors, just running plenty of cold water while grinding citrus peels usually does the trick. Curious though, has anyone actually seen damage from using vinegar regularly, or is this more of a theoretical concern?
I've wondered about this too, honestly. I've used vinegar and baking soda maybe once every couple months for years now, and haven't noticed any obvious damage yet. But then again, I don't exactly take apart my disposal to inspect the seals or blades regularly, so who knows what's going on in there? Citrus peels and ice cubes have always worked pretty well for me too, especially lemon peels—they seem to freshen things up nicely.
I did have a friend who swore by vinegar for everything cleaning-related, and after a few years her faucet started leaking. The plumber said the rubber seals had deteriorated faster than usual, but he couldn't say for sure if it was the vinegar or just normal wear and tear. So maybe there's something to it?
Either way, your suggestion of citrus peels and cold water sounds like a safe bet. Probably best not to overdo it with vinegar just to be cautious...
I've gotta say, I'm a bit skeptical about the vinegar causing significant damage to rubber seals in disposals. Faucets and disposals aren't exactly apples to apples—faucet seals are often thinner and more exposed to direct contact with cleaning agents, while disposal seals are usually thicker and designed to handle harsher conditions. I've seen plenty of disposals that have been regularly cleaned with vinegar solutions for years without noticeable issues.
Honestly, if your disposal is making weird noises or struggling to grind, it's probably not the vinegar or baking soda that's the culprit. More likely, you've got something stuck down there—maybe a small utensil, bone fragment, or even fibrous veggies like celery strings wrapped around the blades. Citrus peels and ice cubes help freshen things up, sure, but they won't clear out tougher jams or buildup.
If you're hearing strange noises, I'd recommend unplugging it (safety first!) and checking carefully inside with a flashlight. You'd be surprised how often a simple obstruction is the real issue, rather than cleaning methods or seal deterioration.
Had something similar happen a few months back—sink monster was growling and barely grinding anything. At first, I blamed the vinegar/baking soda routine too, but after poking around, turned out it was a sneaky piece of plastic from a bread clip that got wedged underneath the blades. Vinegar didn't cause it, obviously, but it didn't help either.
If you're comfortable doing this (and you've already unplugged it, right?), grab an Allen wrench and manually rotate the disposal from the bottom—most have a little hole underneath specifically for this. Turn it back and forth gently; sometimes that'll dislodge whatever's stuck. Once you've done that, shine a flashlight down there again, double-checking for any leftover debris.
Honestly, disposals are built pretty tough. Unless you're soaking them in pure vinegar overnight regularly, I doubt you're damaging any seals. Most likely scenario is just something stubborn hiding in there...
Had a similar issue last year—thought I'd wrecked the disposal with lemon peels (trying to freshen things up on the cheap, ya know?). Anyway, after unplugging it (safety first!), I did exactly what you suggested with the Allen wrench. Took a bit of gentle back-and-forth, but eventually a tiny metal spoon handle popped out. No idea how it got down there, but problem solved. Definitely worth checking carefully before calling in expensive help...