I've heard about the ice cube and salt trick too, but honestly, does it really sharpen the blades or just clean them off? I've always been a bit skeptical about that one.
"After that, I started doing the baking soda and vinegar thing every month or so, and haven't had any swamp monsters since."
Baking soda and vinegar is definitely underrated—cheap, effective, and no weird chemical smells afterward. I usually follow up with hot water to flush everything out... works like a charm.
I've always thought the ice and salt trick was more about knocking loose gunk than actually sharpening blades. Garbage disposal blades aren't really sharp like knives anyway—they're blunt impellers designed to crush, not slice. Baking soda and vinegar does work well for odors, but honestly, tossing in some citrus peels every so often seems just as effective...and smells nicer afterward.
Totally agree about the citrus peels, they really freshen things up. One caution though—make sure they're small enough chunks. I once tossed in half a lemon wedge and my disposal sounded like it was choking...lesson learned the hard way, lol.
Good tip about the lemon wedge—I learned that one too, unfortunately. Ever tried ice cubes? I toss a handful in every now and then, seems to sharpen the blades and clear out gunk. Not sure if it's just me imagining things, but it does seem to help with odors too. Might be worth a shot if citrus isn't handy...
Ice cubes are a pretty common recommendation, but I'm honestly a bit skeptical about the whole blade-sharpening claim. From what I've seen, disposals don't really have blades in the traditional sense—they're more like blunt impellers that crush and grind food against a stationary grinding ring. So, I'm not sure ice cubes would actually sharpen anything. Maybe the ice just helps knock loose some stubborn gunk that's built up around the edges?
Personally, I've found baking soda and vinegar to be pretty reliable. Here's what I usually do: first, sprinkle about half a cup of baking soda down the disposal, then pour in a cup of white vinegar. You'll get that satisfying fizzing reaction (which makes you feel like you're doing something productive, haha). Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes, then flush it with hot water while running the disposal. Seems to clear out most odors and buildup pretty effectively.
I mean, ice cubes can't hurt—if you're seeing improvement, maybe there's something to it. But if odors keep coming back, it might be worth checking the rubber splash guard at the top. Those things can get surprisingly gross underneath, and no amount of ice or lemon wedges will fully fix that. You might need to pop it out and give it a good scrub every once in a while.
Anyway, just my two cents...
