Garbage Disposal Cleaning: How Often and What the Maker Says

What It Means

Garbage disposal cleaning is the upkeep that keeps the grinder under a kitchen sink working and smelling clean. InSinkErator, which makes disposals, says they need little care beyond regular use, and that a bad smell usually means food has built up under the splash guard in the sink opening, called the baffle. Cleaning means scrubbing that spot with the power off and grinding a few simple things that scour and freshen the chamber.

Try It: Can This Go Down the Disposal?

Tap each card to see InSinkErator's answer.

A few ice cubes

Yes. Grinding them knocks off bits of food caught inside.

Lemon or lime slices

Yes. They help get rid of odors.

Fats and cooking oil

No. Keep fats and oils out of the disposal.

The sticker from a piece of fruit

No. Stickers aren't food, and a disposal is built to grind food only.

Bleach or drain cleaner

No. InSinkErator warns these can damage the disposer.

Rubber bands, plastic wrap or glass

No. None of these belong in a disposal.

How It Sounds at Home

"The sink smells, can you do the disposal?"
"Throw a few ice cubes down there."
"Don't pour the bacon grease in the sink."

The Breakdown

How often

Job	When	Source
Run it with food waste only	Every time you use it, and often enough that scraps don't sit	InSinkErator
Clean under the baffle and the top of the grind chamber	When it smells	InSinkErator
Freshen with ice cubes or citrus slices	When it smells, and weekly as Buhata's suggestion	InSinkErator for the method

How to clean it (InSinkErator)

Switch the disposal off and disconnect its power.
Reach through the sink opening and scrub the underside of the baffle and the upper lip of the grind chamber with a scouring pad.
Put the power back on. Mix about 1/4 cup of baking soda with water in the sink, then run the disposal with the stopper out to wash loose bits away.
For a lingering smell, grind a few lemon or lime slices, or a few ice cubes to knock off stuck food.

Make it last. Use the disposal regularly so food doesn't collect in the chamber, and keep fats, oils and anything that isn't food out of it.

Good to Know

Never put a hand in a disposal while it has power. Step 1 of InSinkErator's method is to switch it off and disconnect the power, and Buhata's own advice is to confirm both before reaching in. InSinkErator also warns against bleach, drain cleaners and harsh cleaning products, which can damage the unit. Your model's manual is the place to check anything specific to your disposal.

FAQ

How do I get rid of a garbage disposal smell?

InSinkErator says the smell usually comes from food built up under the baffle. With the power disconnected, scrub under the baffle, then grind lemon or lime slices or a few ice cubes.

Can I pour bleach down the garbage disposal?

No. InSinkErator warns that bleach and drain cleaners can damage a disposer.

How often should I clean my garbage disposal?

InSinkErator describes disposals as low maintenance and says regular use keeps scraps from building up. Clean under the baffle whenever it smells.

Do It in Buhata

Maintenance and Tasks with a repeat

Add "Freshen the disposal" to Maintenance with the Household X add-on, or as a weekly Task with a repeat, so someone gets to it before the sink smells.

Open Buhata

Related Terms and Categories

Dishwasher filter
The screen at the bottom of a dishwasher that catches food and grit, which makers say to rinse every 3 to 6 months, or about every 2 weeks with daily use.
Baking soda cleaning
Using baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) as a mild, alkaline scrub and deodorizer on sinks, tubs, grout, trash cans and carpets.
Degreasing
Removing built-up cooking grease from cabinets, stovetops and range hoods, usually with dish soap and warm water or a cleaner labeled as a degreaser.
Composting
Turning food scraps and yard waste into a dark, crumbly soil amendment by letting them break down in a managed pile or bin.
Trash can cleaning
Washing out a kitchen or outdoor trash can on a schedule, with a method that suits what the can is made of, to stop smells and grime building up.

Chores, cleaning and home care

Sources

InSinkErator, "FAQs: Garbage Disposal Support and Advice"; InSinkErator, "A Clean Kitchen Starts With Your Sink"; InSinkErator, "There's an Odor Coming From Garbage Disposal"; InSinkErator UK, "FAQs - Support & Advice: How to clean a food waste disposer"; InSinkErator India, "Food Waste Disposer Things to Keep in Mind"

Last updated September 30, 2026.