Re: Help!! Stinky Kitchen Sink

LonestarBabs · ‎06-26-2011

Plinks. I buy them at BBBY but you can find them other places. Little rounds balls you throw down the disposal -- maybe 1 or 2 per use -- and run hot water. Cleans and freshens with no mess.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

Whenever we eat an orange or a lemon - when I put the skins into the disposal I also fill it with ice and crush the ice and orange remains all together.

It seems like the OP may need to call a plumber to be sure the issue isn't somewhere below her unit. The trap is supposed to keep odors from coming into your sink from the drain.

Fressa · ‎03-20-2012

I use the lemons/limes when I remember to buy them. I also keep Don Aslett x/o spray under my sink. I spray a few squirts of that in sink and disposal when it smells. If it's really bad then I will pour a little bit of the undiluted concentrate in the disposal and let it sit for a while. Run some cold water in it and it takes care of the problem. I also found Fuller Brush Fusol which is a foaming cleaner for disposals. It really works well. I think I found this at BBB or QVC/HSN. Fusol is my number one because it does a complete cleaning job.

Snoopp · ‎02-02-2015

That gasket in a disposal can get icky. I hand wash that one. The baking soda/vinegar and ice cube methods are good ones too.

My dishwasher backs into the disposal bowl too which I hate but I try to rinse dishes into the disposal before loading them into the dishwasher.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

Question: For those of you with garbage disposals - Does that black rubber gasket thingy come out?

I ask because one thing I hate is that mine doesn't come out at all. I sure wish it did, but not to the degree that I would have a whole new garbage disposal installed.

It just makes it more of a PITA. Years ago there was this kit on QVC that I purchased and one of the things in the kit was this brush for just the exact purpose of cleaning under there.

The brush goes around at the end so it's like a circular deal on the end and then it goes up like a normal bottle brush. So you dip it into the disposal area and then you come back up just enough that you can rotate it around and around right under the rubber thing to clean the bottom.

Those can probably be purchased around in stores or online, I would imagine. But it is the perfect size and shape for that.

Well - VOILA! I just searched the item and found one that looks exactly like the one I got here, on Amazon -

Snoopp · ‎02-02-2015

@chickenbutt that gasket should come out. I just replaced mine recently cause it was ripped in one spot. Are you sure it can't come out? I do have to pry it gently to get it out without ripping those flaps but it comes out and I clean it. I think my disposal is insinkerator.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

snoop wrote:
@chickenbutt that gasket should come out. I just replaced mine recently cause it was ripped in one spot. Are you sure it can't come out? I do have to pry it gently to get it out without ripping those flaps but it comes out and I clean it. I think my disposal is insinkerator.

Thanks for your response, Snoop!

I guess I'm not 100% sure. It always looked like it didn't and my cleaning lady told me it doesn't, whereas other houses she does have one that comes out.

Mine is an Insinkerator and I'm not sure the age. We purchased his house 15 and a half years ago and it was in. So, one of the four owners before us put it in - probably the second or third, based on other evidence. So, it has to be at least 20 years old.

Not sure if that makes the difference, but I figured it was noteworthy.

If one comes out, is the stainless steel r i m part of that assembly, or is it just the rubber that comes out from the stainless steel?

Snoopp · ‎02-02-2015

In mine the black rubber gasket comes out. I push it down pretty firmly to sit it back in its spot and you do have to use a little muscle to pull the thing out carefully without ripping the flaps (if you have the flap type). I'm thinking about the sink...mine is newer than the disposal but I can't remember if the gasket came with the new sink. It must have.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

Mine has four wide flaps. I just looked at it again and decided that I'm pretty sure mine doesn't come out. I'm afraid to be rough on it, though. Too bad that previous owners never kept the books for stuff and I might know more about it.

Thanks for your help, Snoop!

I think it would be above my pay grade to be able to even find the model number. I can get down and get inside the cabinet below, but getting up might be problematic. It's hard enough when I've had to use that tool to turn the thing when it stops working.