When you become an adult and you have your own kitchen, a big surprise would be that rented apartments don’t come with garbage disposals. It is definitely convenient to rinse away the few remaining grains of rice or the container of leftover soup down the drain, but you’ll have to manage without a garbage disposal. We will help you get the hang of it and you will see that it is not that hard. Here are some helpful tips on how to keep your sink unclogged, clean, and odor-free:
1. Get a Strainer
The first thing you should add to a kitchen without a garbage disposal would be a stainless steel sink strainer. They are quite inexpensive and are more than essential if you don’t want any kitchen scraps slip down the drain. You will probably have to empty it once or twice a day and give it a good scrub once a week. We recommend using baking soda for that – this way it will look impeccable all the time.
2. Keep Things Clean
Even when you have a strainer, grease and bits of food can always make their way into your pipes. This causes unwanted odors over time and we certainly don’t want that. You are able to prevent it by occasionally use some baking soda (yes, again) down the drain. Follow it by white vinegar and hot water to flush everything away. This way, success is guaranteed without too much trouble.
3. Use the Toilet
Most of the liquid leftovers (salsa, ramen, etc.) are hard to deal with when you do not have the desired garbage disposal. Due to the fact that there are too much solids, you simply cannot dump them down the sink. On the other hand you cannot put them in the trash before at least draining all the liquid away. This is where you can ‘cheat’ by simply flushing everything down the toilet. It’s definitely not glamorous, but it works quicker than the other options.
4. Compost if You Are Able to 
If you separate out your fruits and vegetables anyway, you might as well make the most of it. Go ahead and collect those scraps to compost. Do this either in your backyard or through a program if your city provides one. Calling a waste clearance company for help is also an option. Keep in mind that most of them offer recycling services as well and they can help you with more than just waste disposal.
5. Always Look on the Bright Side of Things
Yes, it is true that you have to work a little more every day when you don’t have a garbage disposal, but there are benefits as well. You have storage space under the sink and you are not sending any trash to wastewater treatment facilities. You also get green points if you compost. The final benefit is that you don’t have to worry about expensive garbage disposal repairs.
This concludes our list. Cheers!
