8 Simple Tips to Unclog a Garbage Disposal

Garbage Disposal clogged? The kitchen sink can quickly become messy with a clogged garbage disposal, leading to foul odors, standing water, and an annoying humming sound.

Experts say that improper use and food accumulation are the main reasons people have drain issues in their kitchens, and that every year, people lose hours of time and money to drain blockages.

Fortunately, most clogged garbage disposals can be cleaned and made to work again quickly and easily without the help of a plumber. This guide will show you many ways you can solve your garbage disposal problems quickly and effectively.

What You Need to Know Before Unclogging the Garbage Disposal?

Prior to attempting to clear out your garbage disposal, it is critical to understand several primary safety and operational fundamentals. A garbage disposal has the potential to harm you or damage itself if improperly handled.

Don’t just start unclogging; take the time to learn what causes your particular model to clog and how the unit operates. Learning these things before you begin could potentially save you a lot of headaches down the road from both a safety and functionality standpoint, as well as in terms of time, costs, and your overall risk.

Safety Tips

Power down the unit: Make sure to turn it off at the switch and unplug it; you may also turn off the circuit breaker.

Do not use your hands: While the knives that cut food are not all the way sharp, the grinding parts can still cause you serious harm.

Understanding common clumping problems: How grease, fibrous foodstuffs, and beans become jammed frequently in disposals.

Jams first: Make sure you check for a jammed flywheel by manually turning it counter-clockwise with an Allen wrench through the access hole at the bottom of the unit.

If you don’t know the reason to reset the disposal: The reset button on the disposal can trip for no other reason than that there was no clog plugged.

Never use harsh chemicals inside a disposal: Chemical drain cleaners can destroy the internal mechanisms of the disposal, as well as the plumbing.

Know when to call a plumbing expert: If your disposal has continual clumping issues, leaks when running, or smells like burning, you have an issue that a local plumbing expert needs to look at.

8 Tips to Unclog Your Garbage Disposal Easily

The first thing you need to do is to turn off the power to your garbage disposal. You can do this by unplugging it under the sink, turning it off with your wall switch, or shutting off the circuit breaker.

Please note that even if your garbage disposal is turned off, you still have a chance of having the internal parts (grinding mechanism) moving, due to applying pressure to them incorrectly.

This one simple action can save you from risking serious injury and allow you to work with peace of mind.

Tools/Supplies You Need:

• Flashlight
• Sink plunger
• Allen (hex) wrench
• Tongs or needle-nose pliers
• Wooden spoon or broom handle
• Dish soap
• Ice cubes
• Coarse rock salt or baking soda
• Bucket or bowl
• Old towels or rags

The following are the step-by-step, easy-to-follow instructions to fix your garbage disposal, from light food buildup to stubborn food jams.

1. Look inside for what is causing your clog

Most of the time, when a garbage disposal clogs up, it is not actually a clog, but instead it is a foreign object. A spoon, a bottle cap, or a fruit pit can very easily get into the garbage disposal and cause it not to turn on.

Use a flashlight to check inside the garbage disposal and remove any foreign objects you find with tongs or pliers. Do not use your hands to remove these objects, even if your garbage disposal has been unplugged.

2. Manually Unjam the Flywheel

If the disposal is humming but not turning, then you may have jammed the flywheel. Most disposals have a hexagonal hole on the bottom of the motor assembly.

By inserting an Allen wrench into the hole and rotating it back and forth, you should be able to free up any food debris that is caught in between the flywheel and the motor.

Once you can turn the flywheel freely, take out the Allen wrench, and gently use a wooden spoon to spin the blades from above the sink.

3. Reset the Disposal

After freeing up the flywheel, find the reset button on the bottom of the unit (generally, it will be red or black). If the button is extended out, simply push it back in. Many users forget to push this button and, as a result, are returned to a working disposal.

4. Use a Plunger to Unclog the Disposal

Soft clogs can often be removed by using a plunger. To remove a clog using a plunger, fill the sink with a few inches of water before putting the plunger over the opening/pipe. When you plunge, you will build up pressure, which will help break up the clog.

5. Wash With Hot Water and Dish Soap

Once the disposal starts again, pour some hot water with soap into the sink while it runs, so the hot water washes away any loose debris that may have fallen through the drainpipe, and the soap breaks down grease. This should help prevent future clogs.

6. Ice and Rock Salt for Fishy/Slow Disposal

If your garbage disposal smells or is slow, run ice and coarse salt through the disposal. The ice will loosen trapped food, and the salt will scrub the inside. Follow with hot water to flush everything out.

7. Don’t Use Chemical Drain Cleaners

Chemical drain cleaners may work initially, but they damage the parts of the disposal and corrode pipes. Using them repeatedly will cause more damage than good and may void any warranties. Always use mechanical or natural methods first.

8. Know When to Quit

If the disposal is leaking, making a grinding noise, or repeatedly clogging, stop using it and contact a plumber. Continuing to try may result in higher costs later on, as ongoing issues indicate a potential blocked drain pipe, advanced deterioration of the unit, or the unit nearing the end of its life.

How to Prevent Clogging the Garbage Disposal?

To maintain maximum efficiency of your garbage disposal, make sure to do the following:

• While running your disposal, always run cold water through your tap at the same time
• Slowly feed your food into the garbage disposal; don’t throw everything in at once.
• Do not put grease, fibrous materials, bones, or coffee grounds into your garbage disposal.
• When finished with your garbage disposal, run cold water through it for 10–15 seconds.

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