QUESTION: I have a garbage-disposal unit connected to my kitchen sink. Lately, there has been a very strong odour coming from it. It is pretty bad, especially when we come in from the outdoors. The smell is wafting throughout the house. I have used baking soda, vinegar, and even washed under the black mat with Vim and still the smell is there. I was hoping you might have some suggestions of what I can do.
-- Diana, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Ah, the dreaded 'Stinky Garbage Disposal Challenge'! Food that is chopped up in the disposal is not always properly washed down the garburator and accumulates on the side walls of the disposal. If food gets old, it will decay and smell like compost. One of the causes for this is not enough water is run into the disposal after food has been ground up.
To fix this, you will need to call in a plumber or clean the unit yourself by disconnecting the pipe that leaves the disposal from the drain system under your sink. Purchase a rubber test cap and attach it to the tube end of the pipe and tighten the clamp. Put an empty bucket under the end of the pipe. Fill the disposal with water; the water will back up into the sink. Turn the water off when it is level with the top of the strainer basket in the sink bottom. Pour a half-cup baking soda and half-cup vinegar (or household ammonia) into the drain. Leave for one hour to give the solution a chance to loosen up the food particles. Loosen the clamp and let the water pour into the bucket.
Reconnect the disposal unit to the plumbing drain system. Put the plug into the sink and fill the sink with hot soapy water, baking soda and vinegar. Leave for one hour and drain. Regularly drop ice cubes, lemon and orange peels through the garbage disposal to freshen. If the smell remains, call in a licensed plumber to check out the system.
QUESTION: I hope you have a non-toxic solution for my kitchen cabinets, which are made with chipboard. How can one get rid of the grease that accumulates up there? Previously, I used either bleach items such as Lysol and others. But doing so, I have to breathe the toxins in, which I do not like. Do you have a tip, please?
-- Uli, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Into a spray bottle, make a solution of: One cup vinegar, half tsp. dish soap, and 5 drops tea tree oil (found in the pharmacy at most grocery stores). Fill the remainder of the bottle with water. Use this solution to clean the tops of your cupboards. Now to make your life much easier, after the cupboard tops are clean, cover them so less maintenance is required. If you lay old tea towels on top, you will only need to remove the towels to wash them. Or purchase sticky mactac paper and adhere it to cupboard tops. These are very easy to wipe anytime cleaning day comes along!
Tips for preventing ice build-up:
-- Apply rubbing alcohol to your wiper blades to prevent ice from forming on them.
-- Smear non-gel shaving cream on motorcycle face shields to keep visibility clear.
-- Prevent ice from building up on your windshield overnight with this easy trick. In a spray bottle, combine three parts white vinegar with one part water. After parking your vehicle in the evening, spray your windshield with this solution and leave overnight.
