Use the manufacturer's routine and clean when residue or an operating change makes attention necessary. A rarely used disposer can still retain food, so calendar frequency alone is not a reliable guide.
What the observation tells you
Check the accessible sink opening and any approved removable baffle without reaching into the chamber. After normal food processing, complete the prescribed rinse rather than leaving the last fragments until the next session. Avoid running cleaning experiments merely to satisfy a weekly schedule.
A useful next step
Keep a simple note if odour or poor drainage returns quickly after correct care. That recurring pattern can justify inspection of the water path instead of ever more frequent cleaning.
Manuals and supporting guidance
Model-specific instructions take priority. These references support the practical principles discussed here; they do not diagnose your appliance.