Garbage Disposal | Plumbers Arlington, Texas
If your garbage disposal has an odor, the following information can serve as a brief guide for garbage disposal care. When you need service for your appliance, contact Benjamin Franklin’s plumbers in Arlington, Texas.
Keep it Clean with Dish Liquid
The disposal may look clean, but food particles can be just out of sight. Turn on a high stream of hot water, then start the disposal and allow it to run for 45 seconds. This can force food particles through the pipes. Turn the disposal off.
Next, fill the sink up with hot dishwater and an effective brand of grease cutting dish liquid. Once the sink is filled, remove the stopper and turn the disposal on. Allow to drain while the disposal works the solution through the blades and pipes. Turn off the disposal just before all the water is gone. Never operate the appliance without running cold water to avoid damage.
Deodorize Naturally
Lemons, lime, or oranges, cut into small pieces and dropped down the disposal while it runs will deodorize the appliance with a fresh citrus scent.
While running cold water, pour one cup of baking soda, followed by a cup of distilled white vinegar, down the disposal. Vinegar is a natural deodorizer and bacteria killer. Allow water and the disposal to run for 30 seconds after this treatment to ensure the acidic vinegar is flushed from the disposal.
Drain Cleaning
If the garbage disposal still emits an offensive odor, the drain may need a professional cleaning. Food that remains in the drain will decompose and cause offensive odors, and may cling to the drain walls. If that’s the case, you’ll need to call in Benjamin Franklin Plumbing’s expert, licensed plumbers in Arlington, Texas.
Garbage Disposal Care
Prevention is the best way to prevent problems and odors in the garbage disposal. The first rule is turn on the cold water before the disposal, and the disposal before dropping food into it. Never stuff the disposal full of food and then turn it on. Doing so is likely to jam it and may cause damage requiring garbage disposal repair by Benjamin Franklin’s plumbers in Arlington, Texas.
The second rule is to cut large pieces of food into small pieces and drop into the disposal one piece at a time to prevent clogging to the disposal.
The third rule is knowing what you shouldn’t put down the disposal to avoid a clog or damage:
Grease, fats and oil: Don’t put grease, fats or oil down the garbage disposal as they will clog up your drain and sewer pipe. Once grease builds-up in the drain and sewer pipes, only hydro-jetting by the plumbers in Arlington, Texas will effectively remove it.
Fibrous foods: Fibrous, stringy foods such as celery, artichokes, onion skins, corn husks, greens for example will tangle, clog and jam the garbage disposal and clog the drain. Dispose of properly in the compost or the trash to avoid a stubborn clog and the need for drain cleaning by the plumbers in Arlington, Texas.
Potato Peels: Potato peels will also clog the drain.
Coffee grounds: Coffee grounds may seem innocuous, but they can form a clog in the drain. They are, however an excellent addition to compost or placed directly in a garden.
Pits and Seeds: Pits and seeds are hard materials that can dull, bend or even break the blades on a garbage disposal. Examples are peach pits, popcorn kernels, cherry pits, and avocado pits.
Pasta and Rice:
Pasta and rice form expansive materials that swell when exposed to water.
Egg Shells:
Egg Shells should never be put into the disposal as they can become a hard matrix to a clog. They are great for adding calcium to garden soil, and especially tomatoes and other calcium loving plants.
Non Food Items: Don’t put anything that isn’t biodegradable down the drain. Examples are plastic wrappers, styrofoam, paper, or any other non-food item.
The fourth rule is to always use cold water only when the disposal operates. Keep the cold water running for at least 30 to 60 seconds after the waste you are disposing of has cleared through the drain. The water helps push the waste down the disposal and flush the drain. Hot water can be used when the disposal doesn’t run, but only cold can be used during the appliances operation as this helps to keep the appliance cooled.
Need assistance with your garbage disposal? Call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing for expert repair, service, replacement and installation by our licensed professional plumbers in Arlington, Texas. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is the best in the business. Our plumbers in Arlington, Texas have the necessary training and experience to guarantee your satisfaction with each job. The Punctual Plumbers strive to provide the highest level of competence, integrity, and consideration with every service call. We serve Arlington, Fort Worth and the surrounding areas, and are a member of the BBB with an A+ rating.