There’s nothing worse than the stench of dirty garbage in your home. Even if you get rid of your trash regularly, smells can linger in your garbage disposal unit and stink out your kitchen. But why does this happen?

The Reasons Your Garbage Disposal Stinks

Food Particles

Although most garbage disposals are self-cleaning, food particles can stick to the grinders. This is perfectly normal, and old chunks of food will usually drain from the disposal after a couple of days. Sometimes, though, these food particles just won’t budge. Over time, they can cause your garbage disposal to stink.

Grime

Grime can build up on the sides of your garbage disposal and cause a strong smell to emanate throughout your kitchen. Even if you clean your garbage disposal manually, this smell can still linger.

You Don’t Run Your Disposal For Long Enough

If you run your disposal for a short amount of time, it might not get rid of food and grime properly. Try running your disposal for longer and allow enough time for food particles and other nasty stuff to drain completely.

Garbage Disposal Pipes are Leaking

Leaky garbage disposal pipes can cause a foul smell in your kitchen. You need to fix these pipes immediately, or the smell could get worse.

Dealing With a Smelly Garbage Disposal

Now that you know what’s causing the smell, how do you get rid of it? You could try things like ice cubes, baking soda, and lemon to mask the odor. However, these home remedies only work for a short amount of time, and they won’t solve the problem entirely.

If food and grime have become attached to the grinders in your garbage disposal or you have a leaky pipe, you need to call in a professional plumbing company like Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Port St. Lucie, which specializes in garbage disposal repair and replacement. An expert can repair damaged garbage disposal pipes, clean out grinders, and even upgrade your garbage disposal unit.

Remember, it’s never a good idea to attempt to fix a leaky garbage disposal pipe or clean grinders yourself. You could risk a serious hand injury.

Food particles, general grime, leaky pipes, not running your disposal for long enough — these are the main reasons why your garbage disposal stinks. To solve the problem right now, contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Port St. Lucie at (772) 205-3132 and ask for a free estimate.