Why Does My Insinkerator Smell Bad?

Are you disturbed that your insinkerator produces an awful smell? You’ve tried washing it, but it persists, and you ask why does my insinkerator smell bad?

Is it normal for my insinkerator to smell bad? Well, it is normal for your insinkerator to smell bad because it does the job of handling so many food crumbs. However, staying with a foul smell can be disturbing.

Leftover food particles due to lack of sufficient water flow are the highest culprit to this course. But there are other reasons too. This guide reveals other possible causes and what you can do to eliminate the foul odor.

Let’s get your insinkerator smelling nice again, shall we?

Contents

About Insinkerator

Otherwise known as a garbage disposal, the insinkerator is a must-have appliance many households use to ease the workload and increase comfort by grinding food scraps. And over time, this appliance has performed this task efficiently.

However, just like every appliance used at home to ease the workload, it is susceptible to damage and sometimes something as mild as a foul odor.

This odor often makes it look like something died in your garbage disposal. Fret not if this is the case because you can get rid of the smell quickly.

But why does your insinkerator smell bad?

Why does my insinkerator smell bad?

To begin with, one of the possible reasons for your insinkerator’s bad smell is that it tends to store crumbs after each use; leaving the crumbs in for days makes the garbage disposal develop an awful smell.
Pushing down food crumbs with the wrong amount of water is another reason your insinkerator smells terrible.
Flushing the food crumbs with dirty water can cause more harm than good. So it is another reason why your insinkerator smells terrible.

Not cleaning or clearing the clogs and the appliance itself regularly can cause your garbage disposal to smell bad.

So, what can you do to get rid of such a smell? You can eliminate the foul odor and regain confidence in your garbage disposal.

How To Get Rid Of Bad Smell In Your insinkerator

Photo by Joe Shlabotnik via Flickr

No matter how bad your insinkerator smells, you can eliminate the smell by following this step-by-step guide.

1. Unclog the garbage disposal

The first thing you must do if you want your insinkerator to smell nice again is to remove that which brought the foul odor in the first place. Free the garbage disposal of every food particle built up over time.

Before you unclog the particles, follow this guideline to ensure safety and a rewarding outcome.

Unplug the insinkerator
If the disposal is too dark, it is best to use a flashlight to locate the pipe.
Get rid of the food particles with tongs or pliers

You can now plug the disposal back in
Run a sufficient amount of water.

2. Flush the garbage disposal with hot water

If running the garbage disposal with cool water is not enough, try running the garbage disposal with hot water. Perceiving bad smell from the insinkerator is what you should not let linger for another day.

The garbage disposal is often clogged with food crumbs and would need a bit of push for the pipe to clear the clogs.

So, if your insinkerator smells terrible and you do not know how to get rid of it, the second thing you need to do is use hot water to flush the disposal so it releases the food particles.

3. Soak your disposal in soapy water

Do you want your disposal to smell nice again? Then soak the removal in soapy water. There is no better way to eliminate a foul smell than using good soapy water. Provided the detergent you used exudes a compelling fragrance, your disposal would smell nice again.

Plug the disposal drain
Depending on the size of the garbage disposal, fill the sink with 4 to 6 inches of water. Add two teaspoons of liquid dish detergent
Create suds by mixing the water with the soap

Let the soapy water sit in the disposal for sometime
Turn the disposal on and allow it to run for sometime
Turin of the disposal when you satisfied with the outcome

Use a brush to scrub off stubborn particles. Scrub the outside part of the disposal too

4. Try to deodorize the appliance

Often it takes a long period before you can clean off the mess in the disposal and help eliminate the awful smell. So, when this is the case, the thing that you must do is to get rid of the smell by mixing some baking soda with vinegar.

You should not hesitate to try this one-in-a-million solution. Allow the solution to sit in the disposal for some time before giving it a good rinse.

5. Get a professional cleaning

Consider calling on professionals to eliminate the smell if all goes to nothing. As you may know, for the garbage disposal to run and cut food particles, it uses the blade to do the job perfectly.

As a result, the blade is often occupied with food particles, making it almost impossible to do away with the smell. At this point, you need a helping hand, and what can be more rewarding than help from a professional?

Conclusion

Have you experienced an awful smell from your insinkerator and asked why my insinkerator smells terrible? You already know the answer, and your disposal can smell nice again. You have to follow this guide intently.

Remember to get a professional when the blade is involved, but if you think you can, you should learn how to clean garbage disposal blades.

We are glad because we trust you to fix the smell from the garbage disposal.