How To Clean A Stinky Garbage Disposal

Baking soda and vinegar. Baking soda can do almost everything, including clean and deodorize the garbage disposal. Pour baking soda (about ¼ cup) and vinegar (about 1 cup) down the drain. It will foam up and look pretty cool. Then, with the disposal running, let cold water run down the drain.

Ice and salt. Pour ice cubes and coarse salt (the coarser, the better) down the running disposal with cold water. This method does double duty: it cleans and sharpens the blades at the same time.

Citrus peel. This method doesn't exactly clean a disposal, but it's a quick fix for the smell. Toss leftover chopped lemon, grapefruit, lime, or orange peels down for a citrusy-fresh disposal.

Although dropping some bleach and water down the drain sounds like the best method, it can actually damage drains and pipes, so stick with these natural methods or store-bought garbage disposal cleaners. Be sure to be careful when cleaning the disposal and check with your plumber before you change your cleaning method!