I've gotta admit, the ice cube and lemon wedge trick sounds pretty clever—but does it really scrape off all the buildup, or just mask the smell temporarily? I've tried lemon peels before, and yeah, it smelled great for a day or two, but then the swamp monster returned with a vengeance. Maybe my disposal is just extra stubborn? Still, your point about avoiding boiling water is spot on. Learned that lesson after nearly melting some cheap plastic pipes under my sink (oops...). Might give your ice cube method a shot—can't hurt to try something budget-friendly before resorting to harsher chemicals or calling in the pros. Thanks for sharing!
I've tried the ice cube trick myself—honestly, it seemed to help a bit, but I wouldn't call it a miracle cure. It definitely freshened things up temporarily, but the stubborn gunk wasn't totally gone.
"Maybe my disposal is just extra stubborn?"
Same here... makes me wonder if certain disposals just build up more grime than others. Ever checked under the rubber splash guard? Mine was hiding some nasty surprises underneath. Cleaning that out helped more than any lemon peel or ice cube ever did.
I've had mixed luck with the ice cube thing too, but honestly, I think sometimes it's less about stubborn disposals and more about what's going down there regularly. My sister used to toss coffee grounds down hers daily, and it was always funky no matter what she tried. Once she stopped doing that, the smell improved dramatically. Maybe check if there's something you're regularly putting down that's causing extra buildup? Just a thought...
Coffee grounds are definitely a common culprit—but I've also seen folks regularly chuck onion skins or fibrous veggie scraps down there, and that stuff can cling to blades and walls like crazy. Ice cubes help sharpen blades a bit, but won't clear away greasy buildup. Maybe try tossing a lemon wedge or vinegar ice cubes down occasionally? Worked wonders for my mom's disposal when it started smelling like something died in there...
Had the same issue last summer, and yeah, coffee grounds were a big part of it. But what really got mine smelling swampy was potato peels and celery bits. Those fibers wrapped around the blades and got stuck in the corners, creating a nasty buildup. Here's what worked for me:
- First, I unplugged it (obviously) and used a flashlight to peek inside—tons of gunk hiding in there.
- Then I carefully used needle-nose pliers to pull out the stringy stuff that was wrapped around the blades.
- After clearing that mess, I dumped baking soda down the drain, waited about 15 minutes, then poured hot vinegar down after it—foamed up like crazy but cleared out all that greasy residue.
- Finished off by running cold water with a lemon wedge tossed in. Smelled fresh again.
Ice cubes are good for sharpening blades slightly, but they won't remove buildup or fibers. Regular maintenance like this every couple months really helps keep odors under control.
