plumbing services collinsville il
A person with a blue rag and a white shirt cleaning a garbage disposal under a kitchen sink in Collinsville, IL.

How to Clean Your Garbage Disposal

To some homeowners, having a garbage disposal means not worrying about what goes down the kitchen drain. The truth is, putting large chunks of food and other solid or liquid debris down your disposal can create a thick grime that, eventually, causes it to stop working. You can prevent issues with your garbage disposal by performing these top 4 cleaning tips below provided by the experts at Culler Plumbing Services in Collinsville, IL.

Vinegar & Baking Soda Mixture

The garbage disposal in your home handles a large amount of food waste, leaving the inside of your garbage disposal covered in a black grimy mixture of months’ worth of leftovers. Luckily, using a simple mixture of vinegar and baking soda helps to quickly remove even the deepest layer of grime while helping to avoid future garbage disposal repair costs. Start by pouring a half cup of baking soda into the disposal followed by a half cup of white vinegar. As the vinegar and baking soda react and bubble in your garbage disposal, they break down the mess and keep the blades and walls of your disposal clean for months! Call Culler Plumbing Services today for expert garbage disposal maintenance or repair services in Collinsville, IL.

Remove Any Visible Food Debris

Stainless steel kitchen sink with small pieces of food debris stuck in a garbage disposal in Collinsville, IL. A pink sponge is being used to clean the garbage disposal.

If you aren’t looking to spend money on a professional plumber to repair your garbage disposal, you need to make sure you’re doing everything you can to avoid clogging your sink. While you should try putting plate leftovers in your garbage can, we know that it is sometimes impossible to get every scrap of food in there. At Culler Plumbing Services in Collinsville, IL we recommend investing in a small strainer to separate the solid waste from the liquid so that minimal food debris enters your kitchen drain. If you notice that your garbage disposal is clogged with food, simply grab a pair of tongs that gently remove the large food debris from the disposal to clear the drain. If you are still noticing an issue with your drain, contact our experts today and we will inspect and unclog your disposal in no time!

Grind Up Ice & Salt

You may be thinking, is it safe to put whole ice cubs down the drain? Absolutely! Ice has been used to clean the blades of garbage disposals for decades. Start by pouring two cups of ice down your drain, add one cup of salt, then turn on the cold water and leave the blades running until you no longer hear the ice grinding up. The ice and salt together act as an eco-friendly scrub to get any debris clinging to the blades. At Culler Plumbing Services in Collinsville, IL, our experts recommend this method to all of our customers! Not working? Let us come out and inspect your garbage disposal to search for any underlying issues.

The Last Resort

Professional plumber installation and repairing a garbage disposal in a residential home in Collinsville, IL.

Just because you occasionally run water through your garbage disposal, it doesn’t mean you won’t have any future problems. If you have tried every one of these steps to clean your disposal and you are still having issues with draining water or smells, you may need to reach out to a professional plumber in Collinsville, IL. Lucky for you, the experts at Culler Plumbing Services are here to provide everything from maintenance and inspection to garbage disposal repair and replacement services. Give our shop a call at (618) 855-9600 and schedule a service today!

Share This Post

Social Media

Related Posts

Blocked drainage pipe caused by an invasion of tree roots in Granite City, IL
Rooter Services

What is Rooter Service?

Are your toilets, bathtubs, and sinks draining slowly? Have you used drain cleaner and plunged until you are out of breath? Chances are you will

Read More »
Water pouring into a sink drain.
Drain Cleaning

Keep Your Drains Clog-Free

One of the biggest challenges that many homeowners face is who to call when their kitchen or bathroom drain clogs. Finding the right plumber to

Read More »