Garbage Disposal Tablets

This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email below & we'll send it to your inbox. Plus get great new recipes from us every week!


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 ½ 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.
 
Print
No ratings yet

Garbage Disposal Tablets

Author: Sara

Materials

  • muffin or brownie pan
  • lemons
  • limes
  • distilled white vinegar

Instructions

  • 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.
  • 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.

Notes

  1. Use Citrus for Freshness: Incorporating slices of lemons and limes not only adds a pleasant scent but also helps to neutralize odors in your garbage disposal.
  2. Freeze Completely for Effectiveness: Ensure the distilled white vinegar freezes completely by leaving the muffin or brownie pan in the freezer for at least 24 hours. This ensures the tablets solidify properly for effective use.
  3. Alternative Mold Options: If you don't have a muffin or brownie pan, an ice cube tray can serve as a suitable alternative for molding the garbage disposal tablets. Just adjust the quantity of ingredients accordingly to fit the smaller compartments.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




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

56 Comments

  1. 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!

  2. 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.

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

  4. 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.

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

  6. 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.

    1. 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!

  7. 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!

  8. 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!!

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

  10. 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

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

  12. 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)

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