Is the unpleasant stench of garburetor breath plaguing your kitchen? Though helpful in getting rid of unwanted food, garburetors provide the perfect environment for mould and bacteria growth when food particles get left behind, creating odors. It is recommended to clean your disposal once a week to keep it both smelling and running properly.
To clean and remove odors
Pour a half cup baking soda into your garburetor. (If you have a double sink, plug the other side.) Slowly add a cup of vinegar and let it fizz. While the mixture is fizzing, bring a tea kettle or saucepan of water to a boil. Pour the water down the drain to wash away the debris the mixture has loosened. This should be repeated weekly for a clean, odor-free disposal, but can be used daily until odors persist. You can also try running citrus peels through your disposal to help with odors. Don’t forget to clean odor-causing sludge from the cover as well.
Sanitizing
Fill a clean container with 3.78 liters water and 14 mL bleach. Slowly and carefully pour the mixture into the disposal and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Flush with water while running the garburetor to rinse. You can also use oxygenated bleach in the same way to clean and disinfect.
Daily cleaning
Most odors in garburetors occur because enough water has not been sent through the disposal after use. Fill your sink with warm water and a squeeze of dish soap after running your garburetor until well mixed. Pull the plug on the drain and run the disposal, allowing the water and soap to remove leftover debris and prevent bacteria and odors.
Additional tips
Installing a water softener can help keep mineral deposits from damaging your disposal and other equipment in your home that uses water as well.
If your garburetor is in need of repair or replacement, contact Arpi’s Industries, Ltd. One of Canada’s 50 best managed companies, Arpi’s has been offering plumbing services to the Calgary area for more than 50 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about garburetors and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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