Freshen Up Your Stinky Garbage Disposal With A Bathroom Essential

You clock a solid night's worth of beauty sleep, wake up in the morning, rub your eyes, stretch your arms, open your mouth, and wonder at one point during the night you chewed on trash. Sound familiar? If you regularly rise and shine with breath smelling like you just ate an entire fast-food dumpster, you now know how it feels to be your garbage disposal. In fact, some mornings your breath may convince you that you just devoured the appliance. Which is why it should come as no surprise that a bathroom essential that helps erase horrific halitosis can also freshen up your stinky garbage disposal: mouthwash.

According to the American Dental Association, nasty dragon breath typically begins with bacteria in your mouth produced by food particles lodged between your teeth, on your tongue, and along your gum line. Likewise, the root of your garbage disposal's foul-smelling odor is also food debris. The handy kitchen appliance is designed to grind kitchen waste into tiny pieces with metal-like teeth known as impellers so they can easily wash down the drain. The mechanics are efficient, but they're not perfect. There are times when food scraps stick to the impellers or cling to the walls of the disposal and begin to rot. Over time, the decaying scraps combine with leftover grease and oil in a dark, moist drain environment and produce bacteria. These microorganisms are what trigger the overpowering scent of death that plagues kitchens the world over.

If you've ever used mouthwash to clean floors, then you know the hygiene product contains antimicrobial properties that kill bacteria. Moreover, it leaves behind a fresh mint scent that you don't get using some other cleaning products. Even the ever-popular combo of baking soda and white vinegar that many homeowners swear is the best way to clean your garbage disposal won't fill your sink with an invigoratingly sweet and spicy scent.

Using a breath-freshening agent to battle disgusting disposal fumes is simple. Start by pouring 1 cup of your favorite brand of mouthwash directly down your kitchen sink. Allow the gargling fluid to sit untouched for 30 minutes before rinsing with hot water. If you're in a hurry and don't have half an hour to wait for the mouthwash to work its magic, simply pour 4 ounces of it into the garbage disposal, turn on the device, and allow it to run along with a steady stream of water from the faucet until the putrid smell is gone.

Depending on the severity of the stench, you may have to repeat the process more than once. Fortunately, commercial mouthwashes are septic-friendly, so don't worry about pouring them down your drain. Finally, keep in mind: While the mouthwash trick is effective in times when you need a quick fix to solve stinky garbage disposal situations, it is by no means a substitute for a deep clean.