Cleaning Tip Tuesday: Citrus Garbage Disposal Bombs

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When I first started this blog, I shared a post on how to clean a garbage disposal. The method is a great one, and works well for a “deeper clean”. However, sometimes we just need a little something to help freshen the disposal, and since I love creating “cleaning bombs”, I decided to create some specifically for my garbage disposal. (You can see my toilet bombs here and shower bombs here)

Here’s What You’ll Need

1 1/2 Cup Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Citric Acid (This can be a bit hard to find, but I eventually found it in the canning section at Walmart. You can also purchase it on Amazon, but it ends up costing more.)
40 Drops Lemon Essential Oil– Not sure where to buy essential oils? Check out this post.
40 Drops Orange Essential Oil
Citrus Zest (Optional)
Water (Preferably in a spray bottle)
Silicone Mold

This recipes makes approximately 24 Garbage Disposal Bombs

I will have you know that I tried several recipes for these bombs. Some involved using dish soap, but I found these bombs would take forever to dry and would crumble when they were removed from the mold. I also tried omitting the citric acid. This version held up really well, but dissolved so quickly in the water that I’m not sure they really did a great job freshening. The recipe above was, by far, my favorite; they held up well, and took longer to dissolve.

Directions

Start by thoroughly mixing 1 1/2 cups baking soda and 1/2 Cup Citric Acid. Then add your essential oils. The oils tend to create little “blobs” within the baking soda, so make sure to really work them in.

If you happen to have a lemon or orange sitting around, you can zest it and add the zest to the mixture as well. (I happened to have a lemon on hand, so I added lemon zest to the mix.)

Using a spray bottle, spray water onto the mixture several times (be prepared for a little fizzing at you add the water). After a few sprays, check the mixture’s consistency. As soon as it holds its shape in your hand, stop adding water. The mixture may seem a bit crumbly in the bowl, but if it holds its shape, you’re good.

Firmly press the mixture into a silicone mold, and allow it time to dry. This will take several hours (overnight) sitting on the counter at room temperature. Because I am not that patient, I put them in a low heat oven (170°) for about 30 minutes, and they were completely dried out. Added bonus: My house smelled heavenly; like I was baking a lemon cake. If you choose the oven route for drying, note that the mixture may expand a little in the heat.

Pop the garbage disposal bombs out of the mold once they are dry (and cooled, if using the oven), and store them in an airtight container until you are ready to use them. I decided to “pretty up” the container with a chalkboard label, and fancy lettering using my Cricut.

When the time comes to freshen your garbage disposal, add a couple of the garbage disposal bombs to the disposal while running a slow stream of cold water, allowing the bombs to start breaking apart and dissolving. Turn on the disposal for a few seconds, and you’re done.

*Please keep your hands and other objects out of the garbage disposal at all times!

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