When the multi-purpose cleaner, broom, dustpan, mop and rags come out for house cleaning, some areas and objects are still often overlooked. In all fairness, some items don’t need to be cleaned nonstop. Your cast iron skillet, your iron, your showerhead or your clothes dryer can last a few weeks to a few months without needing a deep cleaning. But there are other areas of your home that should be cleaned more often and are simply dismissed for being what they are. Example? Trash cans and garbage disposals.

A tidy garbage can may seem peculiar with everything that goes inside, ranging from messy spaghetti sauce to banana peels and that one chewed-up dog bed or baby diaper. But a stained garbage can with pasta splashes and dirty rag residue can ruin the look of your otherwise clean kitchen. And while a houseguest would have to be paying particularly special attention to notice a less-than-clean garbage disposal, there are multiple other reasons to clean a garbage disposal.

Why You Should Clean Your Garbage Disposal

You press the button or lever to watch food disappear into the garbage disposal. And you may think that all the dirt, debris and food waste goes down too. It doesn’t. Food particles can easily get stuck in the garbage disposal, which can create unpleasant smells. This leads to bacteria harboring around food residue. If you can smell your garbage disposal, that’s an obvious hint. Cleaning your garbage disposal also helps it to operate efficiently, avoiding clogs and buildup on the motor and blades. Most importantly, following the maintenance instructions for your garbage disposal means you’ll save money on repairs and potential replacements if it’s out of warranty.

How To Clean a Garbage Disposal

While two or three supplies from this list (below) can clean a garbage disposal well, rounding up all nine items will definitely make your garbage disposal sparkle.

Cleaning Supplies