Guest guest Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 try vinegar ************** Life should be easier. So should your homepage. Try the NEW AOL.com. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp & amp;icid=aolcom40vanity & amp; ncid=emlcntaolcom00000002) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 When I reach into my garbage disposal for anything, my hand comes out black. Only thing I can assume is mold since otherwise it is stainless steel. I imagine it is due to food particle that are not totally ground up staying in garbage disposal and growing mold there. Perhaps sometimes getting small amounts of food down there, not realizine it and not running disposal right away to clear the food out. I've tried putting clorox down there when I can detect odor and that clears any odor but if I put my hand down there, still black, so does anyone have a technique for cleaning this out? If I pour any liquid in, it goes down drain of course. Maybe a cup of baking soda with a bit of sudsy soap. House didn't have a garbage disposal. I had it put in and handy man that did it, said he didn't have one himself, didn't like them, so with this blackish stuff now, I've started to take food leftovers and putting them in the freezer until I can put them out in garbage and not using it much but in the meantime it's moldy. Any ideas? I guess I could take the thing back out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 Thanks Ginger. I used baking soda and vinegar. I see the problem. I went down there with disposable rubber gloves and paper towel and wiped it out. The garbage disposable was clean enough. It's was just the rubber fins at the opening that were slimy black on the back. Apparently when you run the garbage disposal, food splashes up on the back of those rubber fins and when you run water through the disposal afterward to clean the disposer out, the water doesn't get the food off of the backs of those rubber fins so food splashed there, which is probably EVERY TIME, were full of slimy black stuff. They are clean now but since rubber is very poroused, it will probably grow back with the none stop humidity there. Maybe I will get new rubber guard placed there and then stop using the disposal. I rarely use it now due to other reasons. I've heard disposing of garbage through your pipe is very hard on your plumbing, putting all that food through it that frequently is very fatty. The bottom of disposal where the blades are was very clean. It's just that part you cannot see. If they made a hard lid with holes in it to the top (for water to flow through) that was hinged to open up and close garbage disposal you could clean off the bottom of hinged lid every time you opened it, but alas, we all know they don't make things with any concern for preventing mold growth. > > try vinegar > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 You are more courageous than I with your hand down there. I hate garbage disposals but have one where I live. First, I pull out the rubber perforated o-ring and put that in the dishwasher, for at least 2 cycles, with the cover, then I spray a slurry of bleach and laundry detergent solution and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then, use a long handled brush with hot water running to scrub off what I can see, (which is not much.)The brush has to go into the dishwasher for a couple of cycles as well (or the bucket.) I find the key to keeping the smell/slime down is to put boiling water down there nearly every day. When I boil water for tea, I make double the amount and pour it down into the disposal once or twice a day. Also a lemon rind is helpful, if you have one, followed by boiling water, again. (We ALL know what happens to LEMONS!) Baking soda, always, to clean the stainless steel and run it down with the hottest water available. It is a gross and useless contraption, in my opinion. They don't call it a " pig " for nothing. Hope this helps. > > I see the problem. I went down there with disposable rubber gloves and > paper towel and wiped it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 The rubber o-ring, is that the rubber at the top that stops splash from disposal? Does that come out in your garbage disposal Ginger? > > First, I pull out > the rubber perforated o-ring and put that in the dishwasher, for at > least 2 cycles, with the cover, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 Mine has one that comes out...and a fan-type rubber form that is permanent. I do this all with a door/window open to vent out the bleach. The almost-daily boiling water helps a lot. > > The rubber o-ring, is that the rubber at the top that stops splash from > disposal? Does that come out in your garbage disposal Ginger? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 Thanks . I think what I'm going to do is replace the rubber guard I have there now with new. I saw on the internet where I can buy replacements and then clean the back of new one every time I use disposal so mold doesn't develop on it in the first place. It shouldn't be difficult. I just didn't know mold was forming there. > > Mine has one that comes out...and a fan-type rubber form that is > permanent. I do this all with a door/window open to vent out the > bleach. The almost-daily boiling water helps a lot. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 Get yourself a hardish metal kitchen brush and use whatever liquid you have. Brush the outside of the rubber in the drain of the sink and underneath the flap of rubber (lift it up and get all corners). Rinse well and redo til brush comes out clean. llaci Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 If mold spores got onto the rubber in the drain hole, then it will turn a washcloth or hand black. llaci Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 Just when I thought I had everything undercontrol and as clean as possible another moldy dirty problem rears it's ugly head. I cleaned mine out and couldn't believe it!! I have always poured boiling water down mine and hydrogine preoxide. I'm going to buy a bottle brush at the dollar store and keep it just for cleaning the disposal!!!!! llaci wrote: If mold spores got onto the rubber in the drain hole, then it will turn a washcloth or hand black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 Sue, I found that putting a cup of baking soda and then slowly drizzling vinegar helped to start things as it fizzes up and then use brush and get the top especially around the opening. Think you stand over that for long periods of time. At least I do. > > > Just when I thought I had everything undercontrol and as clean as possible > another moldy dirty problem rears it's ugly head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 Barb, I bet that if you searched on the net on sites like fixya.com (there are a zillion of them, not just them) you could find the manufacturers service manual for your unit and then follow the procedure in it to clean/maintain it. It would probably be smelly and messy but if you take the thing out, open it up and clean it out, then re-lubricate it, if that is called for, it will be almost as clean as new - for a while at least. I've never had a garbage disposal. Currently I have stainless steel mesh screens in my drains to keep gunk out. That make the sink easy to clean.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 It's completely clean now. I can see with a flashlight. It just was a surprise to me that there was mold right over where I stand every day in the drain. I only realized it when I had to put my hand in there, yuk, to get something that dropped inside and my hand came back out black. It won't need to be taken apart since it was only the backside of the rubber guard at the top. If you picture food slashing around from running the disposal all over the disposal compartment and then picture in your mind flushing that area with water afterwards, you can imagine, that the back of splash guard would not get the benefit of flushing it with water since the splashed food would be on the backside of guard. It is a great resource to be able to go online and get instruction manuals for things. I have done that. Thanks. I still have the instruction manual it came with. I tied it to the garage disposal so it would be handy. --- In , LiveSimply <quackadillian@...> wrote: > > I bet that if you searched on the net on sites like fixya.com > (there are a zillion of them, not just them) > you could find the manufacturers service manual for your unit > and then follow the procedure in it to clean/maintain it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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