"Quick tip: citrus peels freshen things up nicely after clearing jams."
Totally agree on citrus peels—they're great for deodorizing. Just a heads-up though, make sure they're chopped into smaller pieces first. Big chunks of lemon wedges or orange peels can actually strain the disposal blades and motor over time. I usually slice mine thinly and run cold water while grinding; helps prevent buildup and keeps things running smoother... learned this the hard way after a stubborn clog last year.
Great advice on thinly slicing the citrus—I learned that lesson after nearly frying my disposal with half a grapefruit peel (oops). Also, ice cubes occasionally help sharpen blades and clear out gunk... bonus points if you freeze vinegar cubes!
Freezing vinegar cubes sounds clever, but does anyone know if ice cubes actually sharpen disposal blades? I've heard that a lot, but from what I've seen, most disposals don't have sharp blades—they're more like blunt impellers that smash stuff up. Ice cubes definitely help clear out stuck-on gunk and freshen things up a bit, but sharpening seems... questionable?
Anyway, totally agree about the grapefruit peel. Citrus peels are sneaky—smell great at first, then suddenly your disposal's choking on 'em. Learned that lesson myself after fishing lemon rind chunks out of mine last month. If your disposal still sounds off after trying ice cubes or vinegar cubes, you might wanna check underneath to make sure nothing's jammed in there or loose. Have you checked the reset button yet? Sometimes that's all it takes to calm the sink monster down.
Yeah, ice cubes definitely don't sharpen anything—they're great for knocking loose the gunk though. If the reset button doesn't help, try manually turning the disposal from underneath with an Allen wrench... saved me from calling a plumber more than once.
