The deciding specification is pack count, which ranges from 2 to 50 across the five picks.
By the Lush Editorial Team·Researched & Compared
We compared five garbage disposal cleaners using only manufacturer-published features and dimensions from the fact sheet.
50 drops with D-Limonene for twice-weekly use.
24 XL tablets that foam with warm water.
6 tablets from the brand Whirlpool and KitchenAid recommend.
4 single-use packets with a lemon scent.
2 foaming treatments powered by citric acid.
| Model | Brand | Size (capacity) | Weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bastion Garbage Disposal Cleaner and Deodorizer Drop... | Bastion | 50 Count (Pack of 1) | not published | Best for long-term supply |
| Garbage Disposal Cleaner & Deodorizer Tablets | Clean Elements | 1 Count (Pack of 24) | 0.93 lb | Best for monthly foaming |
| Affresh Garbage Disposal Cleaner | Affresh | 6 Count (Pack of 1) | 0.63 lb | Best brand-backed option |
| Glisten Garbage Disposer Cleaner | Glisten | 4.9 Ounce (Pack of 1) | 0.31 lb | Best for weekly packets |
| Lemi Shine Natural Foaming Garbage Disposal Cleaner ... | Lemi Shine | 2 Count (Pack of 1) | 0.12 lb | Best for citric acid cleaning |
50 drops with D-Limonene for twice-weekly use.
24 XL tablets that foam with warm water.
6 tablets from the brand Whirlpool and KitchenAid recommend.
4 single-use packets with a lemon scent.
2 foaming treatments powered by citric acid.
Bastion Garbage Disposal Cleaner and Deodorizer Drops lead with a 50-count pack and D-Limonene as the active ingredient. Clean Elements offers 24 XL foaming tablets for twice-monthly use. Affresh provides 6 tablets and is the brand recommended by Whirlpool and KitchenAid. Glisten packs 4 single-use packets with a lemon scent. Lemi Shine supplies 2 foaming treatments powered by citric acid. Each pick suits a different maintenance rhythm, from weekly to twice yearly.
“Pack count sets the maintenance rhythm.”
Lush Editorial Team
Priorities, not a computed score. The inputs are published specifications, so we rank by what matters most and say how much.
Pack count is the first number a buyer sees. Bastion leads with 50 drops, followed by Clean Elements with 24 tablets. Affresh offers 6 tablets, Glisten 4 packets, and Lemi Shine 2 treatments. The gap between 50 and 2 is wide enough to change how often a household reorders. Use frequency also varies: Bastion suggests twice weekly, Clean Elements twice monthly, and Glisten weekly.
Weight and dimensions are published for some picks and not others. Affresh weighs 0.63 pounds, Glisten 0.31 pounds, and Lemi Shine 0.12 pounds. Clean Elements weighs 0.93 pounds. Bastion does not publish a weight. Dimensions are listed for four picks, while ACTIVE and Aunt Fannie’s publish none. The table below places these figures side by side.
| Specification | Bastion | Clean Elements | Affresh | Glisten | Lemi Shine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack count | 50 drops | 24 tablets | 6 tablets | 4 packets | 2 treatments |
| Active ingredient | D-Limonene | Foaming action | Foaming action | Foam | Citric acid |
| Use frequency | Twice weekly | Twice monthly | Not published | Weekly | Not published |
| Septic safe | Stated | Stated | Stated | Not published | Not published |
| EPA Safer Choice | Not published | Not published | Certified | Not published | Certified |
| Width (inches) | 1.0 | 0.75 | 4.0 | 6.49 | 4.25 |
| Depth (inches) | 4.0 | 1.25 | 2.5 | 5.45 | 0.65 |
| Height (inches) | 5.0 | 0.5 | 6.0 | 3.0 | 5.7 |
| Weight (pounds) | not published | 0.93 | 0.63 | 0.31 | 0.12 |
The table does not tell you how a cleaner smells after use, how quickly a tablet dissolves, or whether a drop leaves residue. Those details are not published by the manufacturers. The table also omits ACTIVE and Aunt Fannie’s, which are not among the five picks. For the five shown, the numbers cover pack count, dimensions, weight, and stated certifications only.
Bastion’s 50 drops are the largest count on this sheet. At twice-weekly use, that supply lasts about six months. Clean Elements’ 24 tablets at twice-monthly use cover a year. Affresh’s 6 tablets are described as a six-month supply. Glisten’s 4 packets and Lemi Shine’s 2 treatments suit shorter trials or single-month use.
The count alone does not decide the best pick. A household that cleans weekly will finish 4 Glisten packets in a month, while a household that cleans twice monthly will stretch 24 Clean Elements tablets across a year. Match the count to the routine the maker states, not to the largest number on the page.
Bastion publishes a three-step routine: run the disposal with hot water, reduce water to a thin stream, drop in one drop, and run for 15 seconds. Clean Elements says to drop one tablet into the disposal and run water. Glisten says to use weekly. Affresh and Lemi Shine do not publish a step-by-step routine in the features shown here.
These instructions describe capability, not measured performance. No maker states how long a tablet takes to dissolve or how much foam a treatment produces in a specific disposal. The published steps are the only routine guidance available, and they differ enough that a buyer should read the label before switching products.
Bastion names D-Limonene, derived from citrus peels, as its active ingredient. Lemi Shine names citric acid. Clean Elements, Affresh, and Glisten describe foaming action without naming a specific active ingredient. Glisten states its foam scrubs sidewalls, blades, and under the splash guard. Affresh states its foaming action reaches the grind chamber, impeller, and drain pipe.
These claims are about where a product is designed to work, not about measured cleaning results. No manufacturer publishes a percentage of grease removed or a bacteria reduction figure on this sheet. A buyer comparing ingredients can note that D-Limonene and citric acid are the two named actives, while the other three rely on a foaming mechanism.
Affresh and Lemi Shine both state EPA Safer Choice Certification. Bastion, Clean Elements, and Affresh state septic-safe use. Glisten and Lemi Shine do not publish a septic-safe claim here. Affresh adds that it is recommended by Whirlpool and KitchenAid, and that those brands and affresh are owned and distributed by Whirlpool Corporation.
Certifications are published facts, not test results from this guide. A household with a septic system can look for the septic-safe statement, which three of the five picks carry. A household that prefers an EPA-recognized formulation has two picks to consider. The remaining picks do not publish either claim on this sheet.
Glisten’s pack is the largest by footprint at 6.49 inches wide and 5.45 inches deep. Lemi Shine measures 4.25 inches wide and 0.65 inches deep. Affresh measures 4.0 inches wide and 2.5 inches deep. Bastion measures 1.0 inch wide and 4.0 inches deep. Clean Elements is the smallest at 0.75 inch wide and 1.25 inches deep.
Height varies more than width. Affresh stands 6.0 inches tall, Lemi Shine 5.7 inches, Bastion 5.0 inches, Glisten 3.0 inches, and Clean Elements 0.5 inch. These figures describe the packaging as the manufacturer publishes it. They do not describe the tablet or drop inside, and no maker states the size of an individual dose.
Clean Elements publishes 0.93 pounds, the heaviest of the five. Affresh publishes 0.63 pounds, Glisten 0.31 pounds, and Lemi Shine 0.12 pounds. Bastion does not publish a weight. A heavier pack does not mean a stronger cleaner; it usually reflects the count and the packaging material.
For a drawer or under-sink cabinet, the smallest published footprint belongs to Clean Elements at 0.75 by 1.25 by 0.5 inches. The largest is Glisten at 6.49 by 5.45 by 3.0 inches. Buyers with limited storage can use these figures, while buyers who care only about supply length can ignore them.
Households that want the longest supply. Bastion’s 50 drops at twice-weekly use cover roughly six months, the largest count on this sheet. The D-Limonene formula is the only named citrus-peel active among the five picks.
Households that prefer a monthly tablet. Clean Elements’ 24 XL tablets are designed for twice-monthly use and are stated as compatible with Insinkerator, Waste King, Moen, and other common units. The pack is also the smallest by published footprint.
Households that want a brand-recommended cleaner. Affresh is recommended by Whirlpool and KitchenAid and carries EPA Safer Choice Certification. Its 6 tablets are described as a six-month supply, and the pack weighs 0.63 pounds.
Households that clean weekly. Glisten’s 4 packets are meant for weekly use and its foam is stated to scrub sidewalls, blades, and under the splash guard. The pack is the largest by published dimensions at 6.49 by 5.45 by 3.0 inches.
Households that want a citric acid formula. Lemi Shine’s 2 treatments use citric acid and FunkGuard odor eliminator technology, and the brand states EPA Safer Choice Certification. At 0.12 pounds, it is the lightest pack of the five.
Several figures and claims are absent from the manufacturer listings. We note them here rather than estimate.
Clean Elements and Qucship each include 24 tablets. Affresh includes 6 tablets. Glisten includes 4 packets. Lemi Shine includes 2 treatments. Bastion includes 50 drops. The pack count is the clearest way to compare how long each supply lasts under the maker's suggested routine.
Bastion Garbage Disposal Cleaner and Deodorizer Drops list D-Limonene as the active ingredient, derived from the peels of citrus fruit. No other pick on this sheet names D-Limonene. The others rely on citric acid, foaming agents, or a lemon scent without naming the active ingredient.
Bastion states its drops leave a septic safe environment. Clean Elements states its tablets are septic-safe. Affresh states its cleaner is septic safe and EPA Safer Choice Certified. Lemi Shine states it is EPA Safer Choice Certified. Glisten does not publish a septic-safe claim on this sheet.
Bastion recommends using its drops twice per week. Clean Elements suggests twice per month. Glisten suggests weekly use. Affresh and Lemi Shine do not state a frequency in the published features. Follow the maker's stated routine for each product.
Clean Elements states its tablets work with Insinkerator, Waste King, Moen, and other common kitchen sink units. ACTIVE states compatibility with Insinkerator, Moen, GE, Frigidaire, Kohler, KitchenAid, Waste Maid, Waste King, and Farberware. Bastion, Affresh, Glisten, and Lemi Shine do not list specific disposal brands.
Affresh publishes 0.63 pounds. Glisten publishes 0.31 pounds. Lemi Shine publishes 0.12 pounds. Clean Elements publishes 0.93 pounds. Qucship publishes 0.95 pounds. ACTIVE publishes 0.97 pounds. Bastion and Aunt Fannie's do not publish a weight for their products.
Specifications come from the manufacturers' own published listings. Lush Food & Drink may earn a commission if you buy through a link on this page, at no extra cost to you. How we research.
