I've done the ice cube and salt thing too, and yeah, it helps a bit, but honestly, it's still just temporary. I think the real issue is that garbage disposals aren't designed to handle everything we toss down there. When I first moved into my place, I was treating it like a magic trash can—veggie scraps, coffee grounds, even eggshells. Took me a while to realize that's exactly why mine kept smelling funky.
Eventually, I started scraping plates into the actual trash first and only using the disposal for tiny leftover bits. Haven't had any swamp monster smells since then. Also, every now and then I'll toss in some lemon peels or citrus slices after cleaning dishes—it freshens things up without much hassle.
Not saying the ice cube trick doesn't work at all...just that if you're constantly needing to scrub hidden gunk off blades, maybe reconsider what's going down there in the first place? At least that's what worked for me.
"I think the real issue is that garbage disposals aren't designed to handle everything we toss down there."
Exactly this. Garbage disposals aren't industrial shredders, even though most of us treat them like they are (guilty here). Coffee grounds and eggshells are notorious culprits—they seem harmless, but they build up and turn into a nasty sludge over time. My mentor always jokes that if you wouldn't chew it yourself, don't expect your disposal to handle it either.
Ice cubes and lemon peels help mask the smell temporarily, but they're not solving the root problem. It's like spraying air freshener on dirty laundry—might smell okay for a bit, but the funk's still there. Honestly, scraping plates into the trash first makes a huge difference. And once in a while, pouring some baking soda down there followed by vinegar can help clear out any lingering gunk without harsh chemicals.
Bottom line: treat your disposal kindly, and it'll stop smelling like Shrek's swamp...most of the time anyway.
Learned this the hard way when a tenant called me about a "swampy" smell. Turns out they'd been tossing pasta and rice down there regularly—stuff expands and clogs like crazy. Had to dismantle the whole thing, and trust me, that sludge was no joke. Now I always remind tenants: scrape plates first, disposal second. Saves everyone headaches (and noses) later on...
Yep, pasta and rice are disposal killers. Seen it countless times—had to fish out some pretty gnarly sludge myself. Another sneaky culprit is potato peels; they turn into a gluey mess that'll make you rethink mashed potatoes forever. Quick tip: toss a lemon wedge in there occasionally, keeps odors down and your kitchen from smelling like swamp thing's summer home...
Have you tried baking soda and vinegar yet? Lemon wedges are great for masking odors, but baking soda and vinegar actually break down the gunk causing the smell. Maybe worth a shot before you call in backup...
