Why You Should Use Orange Peels To Clean Your Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposals are a major household and kitchen convenience. You put solid foods into the disposal and turn it on, which activates the spinning disk. This throws the food on the outer walls of the disposal and into a grinding chamber, where the food gets ground up into small pieces that are disposed of and washed away through the water system, according to The Spruce.

With all the food that passes through the disposal, it can quickly get dirty, grimy, and smelly. They also tend to get backed up if not properly cleaned and maintained, which will lead to further unpleasant odors. According to Woman & Home, garbage disposals should be cleaned at least once a week if you use them daily, once every two weeks if you use them rarely. There are plenty of cleaning products on the market, but the cost can quickly add up. Luckily, there is a cost-effective and zero waste alternative using orange peels.

There is a little bit of debate whether orange peels are actually suitable for your garbage disposal. Generally, any kind of vegetable or fruit skin or rind is bad for your garbage disposal. As Expert Plumbers points out, the peels will get ground up into a thick paste and build up on the blades, rendering your disposal useless. The peels also have both sugar and acid, which, if left to sit in your disposal, can wear it down and damage it, warns House & Beyond.

That acidic effect actually makes orange peels a great cleaning agent for multiple household appliances, your garbage disposal included. As a bonus, it will leave behind a fresh, citrus smell. It's also zero waste and doesn't cost much money. To avoid paste and build-up, you should make sure the peels are cut up and have all the flesh removed. Mr. Rooter Plumbing recommends throwing in some ice cubes with the orange peels to help them go down easier. Simply turn on a stream of cold water, add the ice cubes and orange peels, and run the disposal for 30 to 45 seconds. Turn the disposal off, and run a stream of hot water for 15 more seconds.