Running water longer definitely helps, especially cold water—hot water can actually melt fats and grease, causing them to coat your pipes further down and lead to bigger issues later on. Learned that the hard way myself a few years back... not fun dealing with clogged drains.
The ice cube and salt trick is pretty solid advice too. Salt gives just enough abrasion without damaging anything inside. One thing I'd add though, from a safety standpoint, is to make sure you're always careful about what goes down there in the first place. Fibrous stuff like celery or onion skins can really tangle things up inside and trap odors even worse.
Curious if anyone here has tried enzyme-based cleaners specifically made for disposals? I've heard mixed things—some swear by them for odor control, others say they're no better than home remedies. Haven't personally used them much myself, but I'm always cautious about what chemicals I put into plumbing systems.
"Curious if anyone here has tried enzyme-based cleaners specifically made for disposals?"
Tried one of those enzyme cleaners last month after moving into my first house. Seemed to help a bit with the smell, but honestly, didn't notice much difference compared to lemon peels or baking soda and vinegar. I'm leaning toward sticking with simpler methods—less worry about chemicals in the pipes. Wondering though, does anyone know if frequent use of citrus peels could eventually dull the blades or cause other issues?
I've seen a lot of folks toss citrus peels down there regularly, and honestly, blades getting dull isn't usually the main issue—those disposal "blades" are more like blunt impellers anyway. But too many peels can clog things up over time, especially if your pipes aren't in great shape. Personally, I'd stick with baking soda and vinegar or just ice cubes occasionally to keep things clean. Has anyone tried ice cubes with salt? Heard mixed things about that trick...
I've tried the ice cubes with salt thing a couple times. Honestly, didn't notice a huge difference compared to just ice alone. But I totally agree with you on citrus peels—my neighbor swore by lemon peels until she ended up with a plumber bill from a nasty clog. Baking soda and vinegar has been my go-to as well, cheap and safe for the pipes. Better safe than sorry when it comes to plumbing stuff... repairs aren't cheap these days.
"Baking soda and vinegar has been my go-to as well, cheap and safe for the pipes."
Just a heads-up—while baking soda and vinegar won't hurt your pipes, it's more of a deodorizer than a serious cleaner. For stubborn odors, I'd recommend occasionally using disposal cleaning pods specifically made for this. They're designed to break down grime safely without clogging.
