Ugh, the dreaded rubber flap buildup... been there myself. Isn't it funny how we try all these fancy eco-friendly hacks first, but sometimes the solution is just good old-fashioned elbow grease? Ice cubes are a neat trick though—do you find they sharpen the blades too, or is that just wishful thinking on my part? Anyway, props for braving the toothbrush scrub; that's dedication right there.
I've heard the ice cube sharpening thing too, but honestly, from what I've seen during my apprenticeship, it's mostly wishful thinking. Ice cubes are great for knocking off gunk and debris buildup around the blades, but they don't really sharpen them. The blades in most disposals aren't actually sharp like knives—they're blunt impellers that rely on speed and force to grind stuff up.
I remember once spending a good half-hour scrubbing that rubber flap with an old toothbrush and baking soda paste... not fun, but it did the trick. Another time, I tried lemon peels hoping they'd freshen things up—smelled nice for about a day, then back to swamp monster territory. Eventually learned that regular cleaning and running plenty of water after grinding food scraps is the best prevention. Not exactly glamorous advice, but hey, plumbing rarely is...
Actually, I've had decent luck with the lemon peel trick—but the key is to combine it with vinegar ice cubes. Here's what I usually do:
1. Fill an ice cube tray halfway with white vinegar and top it off with water, then freeze overnight.
2. Toss a few of these vinegar cubes into the disposal and grind them up. The vinegar helps break down grease and buildup, while the ice cleans off debris.
3. Afterward, throw in a few lemon peels (or even orange peels) to freshen things up a bit.
You're right that disposals don't have sharp blades, so the whole "sharpening" thing is definitely a myth. But the vinegar-ice combo seems to keep odors at bay for longer than just citrus alone...at least in my experience. Still gotta do regular cleanings though—no shortcut around that one.
The vinegar ice cube method is solid advice—vinegar's acidity definitely helps cut through grease and grime. One thing I'd add, though, is to occasionally check the rubber splash guard (the flappy part at the drain opening). A lot of people overlook it, but that thing collects gunk like crazy and can stink up the kitchen no matter how many lemon peels you toss in. Do you remove and clean yours regularly, or just leave it in place?
I've never bothered removing mine, honestly. I just flip it up, scrub underneath with an old toothbrush and some dish soap every now and then. Seems to do the trick without the hassle of pulling the whole thing out. Plus, I've seen a few splash guards get warped or loose after repeated removal, so I'm not convinced it's worth the trouble. But hey, whatever works—just don't let it get too swampy down there...
