• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Display Search Bar
Follow me on Facebook!Follow me on Twitter!Follow me on Pinterest!Follow me on Instagram!Follow me on BlogLovin!
  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Me

Bitz & Giggles

Delicious bitz & tips for a happy life.

  • Recipes
    • Air Fryer
    • Ninja Foodi
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Breakfast
    • Salads
    • Main Courses
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
  • DIY & Cleaning
    • Cleaning Tips
    • Beauty & Health Tips
    • Family Fun
    • Printables
    • Pets
  • Holidays
    • New Year’s
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Cinco de Mayo
    • Teacher Week
    • Mother’s Day
    • Father’s Day
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • Travel
    • Vacation Tips
  • Resources
    • Blogging Tips
    • Time Management
  • Shop

Garbage Disposal Tablets

February 24, 2014

6912 shares


This post may include affiliate links. Please see my disclosure. 

I adore my garbage disposal. Until about three years ago, I was putting raw garbage into old shopping bags, tying the handles and taking it out to the garage to put in our large waste bin. I couldn’t stand having it in the garbage in the kitchen. Raw garbage stinks within hours (sometimes minutes), causing you to have to change garbage bags over and over.

When we got our disposal, everything changed. Everything became so much easier. I actually enjoyed peeling carrots and potatoes. Clean-up was a breeze. Then, a couple months later, I smelled something. I could actually smell this horrible odor when I opened up the doors under the sink. I could smell it through the pipes. That was the day I learned you needed to clean a disposal, too. I know, I know. Dumb, right? Growing up we never had a disposal. This was my first one. How was I to know?

Thankfully, I’ve learned a thing or two since then, and now, I actually make my own freshener tablets to keep the stench away for good.

All you need to do is grab a muffin or brownie pan. If you don’t have either of those, just use an ice cube tray. Slice up some lemons and limes and place a few in each of the cups.

Now, get some distilled white vinegar.

 

Fill each cup up almost to the top. Are you having fun yet? I sure am. These tablets are so easy to make, and I love the smell of lemons and limes. You could even use orange peels if you’d prefer. Heck, along with the fruit put in a few drops of lemon or orange essential oil for each of the tablets!

 

Take your tin and carefully place it into the freezer. Leave it in the freezer for at least 24 hours to ensure the vinegar freezes completely.

 
 
 
Oh, hello gorgeous. This is what your tablets will look like when you take them out of the freezer. To get them out of the trays easily, you can always grab hold of a piece of lemon or lime that’s sticking up out of the vinegar. That’s how I usually get mine out!
 
 
 
Here’s a disclaimer. As good as these look, don’t try licking them. When you take them out of the tins you’ll be able to smell the vinegar. From afar, however, they look good enough to pop into your drink. My hubby actually licked his finger after touching one the day I made them and regretted it immediately.
 
They definitely are beautiful, but they’re not for consumption, so take care to store them in a bag in the freezer labeled DO NOT EAT.
 
 
 
When you go to use one, you’ll need one more ingredient – baking soda. Start running some really hot water into the sink for about a minute.
 
 
 
 
Turn the water off and pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into the disposal, followed by one of the tablets. You’ll hear a little fizzing when you drop it in.
 
 
 
Turn the water back on as a trickle and turn on the disposal. Push the rest of the tablet down into the disposal. Please watch your fingers! You should see some bubbling up from the disposal and you’ll be able to smell the vinegar and citrus. The ice actually helps sharpen your disposal blades. Using a tablet once a day should keep your disposal smelling fresh and clean.
 

(Visited 50,260 times, 1 visits today)

Related

Share this Post

Posted in: Cleaning Tips, DIY & Cleaning, Miscellaneous

Previous Post
Next Post

Reader Interactions

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Jaren says

    February 25, 2014 at 11:43 am

    Just ran across your blog, and you have some great stuff! I’m a new follower!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      February 28, 2014 at 11:30 am

      That’s fantastic, Jaren. Thanks so much!

      Reply
  2. Joy Bee says

    February 28, 2014 at 2:20 pm

    I love this idea Sara. I hate the disposal smell I have tried all sorts of things to keep it clean but this actually sounds like it will work. I can’t wait to try these. (seen on Whimsy Wednesday)

    Reply
    • Sara says

      February 28, 2014 at 7:01 pm

      Hi Joy! Thanks for stopping over! The tablets do help to freshen – using them daily will produce the best results. Hava a great night!

      Reply
  3. Marie Blackburn says

    March 1, 2014 at 12:37 am

    Brilliant – I am definitely making these! So I glad I found you over at the Link Party Palooza.
    Marie @ The Interior Frugalista

    Reply
    • Sara says

      March 7, 2014 at 11:35 am

      Thanks for stopping over to visit, Marie!

      Reply
  4. Cathy Compeau says

    March 2, 2014 at 9:40 pm

    Thanks for sharing at the Happiness Is Homemade Link Party! Pinning to the party board and can’t wait to see what happiness posts you share next week! Have a terrific week!
    Cathy
    APeekIntoMyParadise.com

    Reply
    • Sara says

      March 7, 2014 at 11:35 am

      Thanks for your pin, Cathy!

      Reply
  5. Amy W says

    March 7, 2014 at 1:01 am

    I just found your post and LOVE this idea! I’ve put just a lemon slice down the disposal before but I like your idea of the lemon, lime, vinegar and baking soda. I’m pinning this for sure. I’d love for you to share at our link party. It closes tonight and will start again on Sunday morning. If you get a chance tonight, please link up and share this smart idea with everyone!

    http://www.delineateyourdwelling.com/2014/03/link-it-or-lump-it-no-28.html

    Reply
    • Sara says

      March 7, 2014 at 11:34 am

      Thanks, Amy! And thanks for the invite to your party. I have it on my schedule for Sunday!

      Reply
  6. cooking with curls says

    March 7, 2014 at 1:03 pm

    Wow, what an awesome idea! Thank you so much for sharing with us at Best of the Weekend. Pinned to our party board. 🙂

    Reply
    • Sara says

      March 7, 2014 at 10:33 pm

      Thanks so much, Lisa! Love your work over at Cooking With Curls!

      Reply
  7. samantha baker says

    March 17, 2014 at 11:27 am

    Hey Sara, what an awesome idea,
    just a thought, do you think it would work just the same if was just lime juice and lemon
    juice mixed with the vinegar?

    Thanks for your awesomeness!!

    Reply
  8. Sara says

    March 17, 2014 at 9:21 pm

    Hi Samantha – I’m not so sure. I think the peels of the lemons and the limes are really what bring the majority of the citrus scent out of the fruit. Don’t forget to add the baking soda when you use them! Good luck and thanks so much for your kind words!

    Reply
  9. Ellen says

    March 22, 2014 at 1:39 am

    I grew up without a garbage disposal also, and used to put everything down the disposal instead of putting in the trash. After the disposal stopped up, the plumber told us that the job of the disposal is to take care of small scraps that were missed when putting in the trash. He said that potato peels are the worst thing to put in there because they stick to the sides. Now everything goes in the trash, and no more urgent calls to the plumber! I put lemon rinds down every now and then to keep it fresh, and ice to help keep blades sharp.

    Reply
    • Sara says

      March 22, 2014 at 8:21 am

      Ellen, I never thought about the potato peels. Seems like that would be so easy for the disposal to take care of. Them sticking to the sides makes sense. So far, so good with the disposal at our house, but something to definitely keep in mind! Thanks for stopping by and sharing!

      Reply
  10. Lisa Bld says

    March 22, 2014 at 10:21 pm

    Ice does not sharpen your disposal blades. Please let them thaw all the way before turning your disposal on!

    Reply
  11. Savage Blog says

    March 22, 2014 at 11:45 pm

    It doesn’t sharpen the blades,disposals work by grinding the food scraps. What happens is it clears all the grooves in the impeller and body of the disposal. Most manuals recommend using about 2 cups of ice and some rock salt as a maintenance cleaning procedure.

    Reply
  12. Tiffany Hamilton says

    April 3, 2014 at 12:29 am

    These are life changing!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      April 3, 2014 at 4:25 pm

      Thanks, Tiffany! Your comment made me giggle. 🙂

      Reply
  13. Helen says

    June 9, 2014 at 4:30 am

    What a good idea. It always smells good when I put orange peel down it so will defo be trying these out.

    Reply
    • Sara says

      June 9, 2014 at 6:54 am

      Oranges, limes and lemons always smell great going down the disposal! Hope you try it, Helen!

      Reply
  14. Anne Cao says

    August 6, 2014 at 5:26 am

    Wow, what an awesome idea! Thank you so much for sharing with us. Do keep your garbage disposal clean. Pour a little dish soap inside and let the garbage disposal run for a minute or so with some cold water after washing dishes.

    Reply
    • Sara says

      August 6, 2014 at 9:43 am

      Thanks for the tip, Anne! Thanks so much for stopping by!

      Reply
  15. Donald says

    August 13, 2014 at 4:06 am

    Thank so much! I would love for you to share in our party affiliation. It closes tonight and will start again on Sunday morning. If you get the chance tonight, please link and share your ideas with everyone!

    Reply
  16. Kate says

    August 21, 2014 at 6:22 pm

    Just as a heads up…

    My brother’s roommate used citrus peels in the garbage disposal at my old house (where they currently lived)… and the citrus peels ended up causing a deep down blockage that required hiring a plumber to snake out. Over time, the oils from the peels build up in the pipes.

    Reply
  17. Clare says

    November 18, 2014 at 1:54 am

    This is an awesome tip – I’ve been putting orange peel, baking soda and ice cubes down my disposal all on separate occasions – I never thought to combine them all!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      November 18, 2014 at 3:31 pm

      I love grinding up those citrus peels in the disposal. Nothing like fresh smelling lemon instead of all of the grossness we put down them every day!

      Reply
  18. Carrie says

    January 13, 2015 at 1:38 am

    The ice and citrus for freshening your drain is always a good idea (don’t forget to pull out the rubber flange, turn it over and give it a good scrub and rinse – yucky sludge under there). But using the vinegar and baking soda combination will damage your disposal over time. It will eat away at the “pot” metal parts and ruin the bearings.

    Save the vinegar and baking soda for a good cleansing in all your other household drains a couple times a year. Put 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, then pour a full gallon of vinegar steadily in and watch the bubbling clean it out. Give it a good rinse after. This advice was given to me by a plumber – he said twice a year and I’d never have to call him again.

    Reply
    • Sara says

      January 13, 2015 at 8:06 am

      Thanks so much for the tips, Carrie. I don’t the tabs are concentrated enough to do damage, but I agree you need to be careful. I love your tip about cleaning out the household drains!

      Reply
  19. Kristen says

    August 5, 2015 at 8:09 am

    Wow, so creative and neture friendly at the same time! I would never think of using this, it’s just brilliant!

    Reply
  20. Carolyn Dennis says

    September 16, 2019 at 5:50 pm

    So disappointed. I thought you had a tab for a garbage compacter. My mistake BUT maybe you do or could come up with one. The story was almost the same. My husband has the household tie up any garbage that might smell and it goes out to the garage because the compacter really packs it down and you use the same bag for up to three weeks because clean paper trash we put in the recycle box (mail junk for instance). So how nice would it be to have a tablet for the compacter and not have to keep running out to the garage. We do not have weekly garbage pick up. We take it to the dump ourselves. Just trying to give you the whole idea. Thanks. I’ll be watching.

    Reply
    • Sara says

      September 24, 2019 at 9:49 pm

      Hi Carolyn! I don’t have a trash compactor but I would think that the more frequently you’d empty the trash compactor, the less “stinky” it would be. I know some trash compactors come with air freshening discs or charcoal filters that help keep the smell “at bay.” Every now and then you may want to unplug the compactor and give it a good cleaning by removing any loose debris from inside the cabinet and then washing out thoroughly with warm water and a mild detergent. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help here with a magic tablet!

      Reply
  21. Kelly says

    May 6, 2020 at 8:16 pm

    I truly appreciate you sharing this. The only problem for me was reading the recipe. It’s too many ads getting in the middle of the article it’s almost impossible to read.
    Pinterest or whoever’s responsible for this ads should stop this. It’s so annoying, makes you as almost give up on reading the articles!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      May 7, 2020 at 4:09 pm

      Hi Kelly,

      I’m sorry you had trouble reading the article. I’m able to offer the information for free because of the ads. They are what keep the blog up and running. It’s kind of like TV and commercials. I really appreciate the visit to the site. It helps support bloggers who are the ones producing free content for others to learn from and enjoy!

      Reply
  22. Rebecca Payne says

    May 12, 2020 at 11:31 am

    I love this idea. I use the baking soda and vinegar but, will try this. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  23. Tanya says

    January 26, 2021 at 3:39 am

    Thank you!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Sara!

I’m a Mid-Western girl with a Type A personality who lives to entertain. I believe it’s the special touches that make all the difference when it comes to family, home and a happy life. Read more

Subscribe by Email

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

to stay in the loop on new posts!

Recipes
DIY & Cleaning
Travel
Business Tips
All

Reader Faves

  • Easy Vanilla Mug Cake
  • Easy Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
  • Air Fryer Roast Chicken
  • Air Fryer Corn on the Cob

Footer

Easter eggs 🥚 like never before! Cool Whip help Easter eggs 🥚 like never before! Cool Whip helps produce swirls of gorgeous color 💙💜💚💛🧡 in this family-friendly DIY easter egg dyeing method! 🙌🏼 Get the recipe 👉🏼 https://bitzngiggles.com/cool-whip-easter-eggs/
.
.
.
.
#foodstagram #Todayfood #foodgawker #feedfeed #thefeedfeed #f52grams #tastespotting #foodwinewomen #bhgfood #yahoofood #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #thekitchn #forkyeah #ourplatesdaily #eeeeeats #foodnetwork #tastingtable #beautifulcuisines #buzzfeedfood #forkfeed #damnthatsdelish #gloobyfood #bitzngiggles #marthafood #coolwhipeastereggs #easyeastereggs #eastereggs #coloredeastereggs
This is literally the EASIEST way to make hard boi This is literally the EASIEST way to make hard boiled eggs! 🥚 No boiling, no fuss. 😀 Just perfect, easy-to-peel hard boiled eggs! 🙌🏼 Get the recipe 👉🏼 https://bitzngiggles.com/air-fryer-hard-boiled-eggs/
.
.
.
.
#foodstagram #Todayfood #foodgawker #feedfeed #thefeedfeed #f52grams #tastespotting #foodwinewomen #bhgfood #yahoofood #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #thekitchn #forkyeah #ourplatesdaily #eeeeeats #foodnetwork #tastingtable #beautifulcuisines #buzzfeedfood #forkfeed #damnthatsdelish #gloobyfood #bitzngiggles #marthafood #airfryerhardboiledeggs #airfryerboiledeggs #airfryereggs #airfryerhardboiledeggsrecipe
This breakfast oven omelette 🥚 is filled with v This breakfast oven omelette 🥚 is filled with veggies 🍅🍄🌶 ham and cheese 🧀 and baked in the oven. 😍 Perfect for a party crowd! Get the recipe 👉🏼 https://bitzngiggles.com/ultimate-oven-baked-omelette/
.
.
.
.
#foodstagram #Todayfood #foodgawker #feedfeed #thefeedfeed #f52grams #tastespotting #foodwinewomen #bhgfood #yahoofood #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #thekitchn #forkyeah #ourplatesdaily #eeeeeats #foodnetwork #tastingtable #beautifulcuisines #buzzfeedfood #forkfeed #damnthatsdelish #gloobyfood #bitzngiggles #marthafood #ovenbakedomelette #ovenbakedomelleterecipe #omeletterecipe #easyomelette
Spring is on the way ☀️ and these flower cupca Spring is on the way ☀️ and these flower cupcakes are ADORABLE! 😍 Funfetti cupcakes with sprinkled marshmallow flowers are perfect for spring! 🌸 Get the recipe 👉🏼 https://bitzngiggles.com/marshmallow-flower-cupcakes/
.
.
.
.
#foodstagram #Todayfood #foodgawker #feedfeed #thefeedfeed #f52grams #tastespotting #foodwinewomen #bhgfood #yahoofood #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #thekitchn #forkyeah #ourplatesdaily #eeeeeats #foodnetwork #tastingtable #beautifulcuisines #buzzfeedfood #forkfeed #damnthatsdelish #gloobyfood #bitzngiggles #marthafood #marshmallowflowercupcakes #flowercupcakes #flowercupcakesrecipe #cupcakes #cupcakerecipe
Flavorful mashed potatoes 🥔 baked right in the Flavorful mashed potatoes 🥔 baked right in the oven!! 👏 Talk about cheese 🧀 and bacon 🥓 perfection. Great for a crowd! 😍 Get the recipe 👉🏼 https://bitzngiggles.com/twice-baked-mashed-potato-casserole/
.
.
.
.
#foodstagram #Todayfood #foodgawker #feedfeed #thefeedfeed #f52grams #tastespotting #foodwinewomen #bhgfood #yahoofood #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #thekitchn #forkyeah #ourplatesdaily #eeeeeats #foodnetwork #tastingtable #beautifulcuisines #buzzfeedfood #forkfeed #damnthatsdelish #gloobyfood #bitzngiggles #marthafood #twicebakedmashedpotatoes #twicebakedpotatoes #mashedpotatoes #mashedpotatoescasserole #mashedpotatoescasserolerecipe
Hippity-hoppity, Easter's on its way! 🐇 This Dr Hippity-hoppity, Easter's on its way! 🐇 This Drizzled Candy Bark recipe is a fun twist on traditional candy bark with M&Ms, sprinkles and colored candy coating drizzle! 💕 An easy, perfect dessert for spring and Easter! 🤗 Get the recipe 👉🏼 https://bitzngiggles.com/drizzled-candy-bark/
.
.
.
.
#foodstagram #Todayfood #foodgawker #feedfeed #thefeedfeed #f52grams #tastespotting #foodwinewomen #bhgfood #yahoofood #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #thekitchn #forkyeah #ourplatesdaily #eeeeeats #foodnetwork #tastingtable #beautifulcuisines #buzzfeedfood #forkfeed #damnthatsdelish #gloobyfood #bitzngiggles #marthafood #drizzledcandybark #easyeasterbark #easterbark #easterbarkrecipe #eastertreats
Mom’s secret recipe is always best! 🙌🏼 Her Mom’s secret recipe is always best! 🙌🏼 Her amazingly moist and classic carrot cake is topped with creamy cream cheese frosting and chopped walnuts! ❤️ Now this is an incredible layer cake! 😍 Get the recipe 👉🏼 https://bitzngiggles.com/homemade-carrot-cake/
Do breakfast a little smarter and a whole lot more Do breakfast a little smarter and a whole lot more delicious! 😋 This is an easy, hassle-free overnight French toast casserole with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar topping! ❤️ Get the recipe 👉🏼 https://bitzngiggles.com/french-toast-bake/
.
.
.
.
#foodstagram #Todayfood #foodgawker #feedfeed #thefeedfeed #f52grams #tastespotting #foodwinewomen #bhgfood #yahoofood #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #thekitchn #forkyeah #ourplatesdaily #eeeeeats #foodnetwork #tastingtable #beautifulcuisines #buzzfeedfood #forkfeed #damnthatsdelish #gloobyfood #bitzngiggles #marthafood #frenchtoastbake #frenchtoastbakerecipe #breakfastbake #breakfastbakerecipe
Follow on Instagram

subscribe by email

to stay in the loop on new posts!

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.
Recipes
DIY & Cleaning
Travel
Business Tips
All
Follow me on Facebook!Follow me on Twitter!Follow me on Pinterest!Follow me on Instagram!Follow me on BlogLovin!
  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Me

© 2023 Bitz and GigglesPrivacy Policy
Website Design by Melissa Rose Design
·
Development by Once Coupled