Run some more water and turn the garbage disposal back on. Plug the garbage disposal back in or turn the power to it back on. Allow to sit for a few minutes, then run hot water down to the garbage disposal to help loosen up the clog. Pour about ¼ cup of baking soda into the garbage disposal followed by a ½ cup of vinegar. Try a natural cleaner to unclog the garbage disposal. Use a pair of needle nose pliers or pair of tongs to reach the object and remove it from the garbage disposal. You may be able to see what is causing the problem, such as a bone or other foreign object.

Never try to work on a garbage disposal that still has power. Unplug the garbage disposal or turn off the circuit breaker connected to it. 4 Steps to Unclog a Garbage Disposal #1 Disconnect Power: While some garbage disposal problems, such as Chuck and Nancy’s, turn out to be more complex, most issues are caused by a drain clog in the garbage disposal and are usually able to easily be fixed.īelow are a few steps you can try.

The couple learned a valuable lesson about mistreating their garbage disposal. Not only had the food items created a clog in the garbage disposal – since they often used the device without always running water through it, the motor had become damaged as well.Īfter Trinity Plumbing diagnosed the problem and understood more about what had occurred, it was determined that the best course of action was to replace the garbage disposal. In some cases, however, the problem may be more complex.Īlthough Chuck and Nancy’s New Year’s buffet might have been a big hit with their guests, the combination of the three items together along with some other items they had been sending down the drain ever since they moved in, had all worked together to do quite the number on their garbage disposal. When you have a simple clog, the method below will usually work to fix the problem. When Bad Things Happen to Good Garbage Disposals Unfortunately, for Chuck and his wife, Nancy, they found out the hard way how important this really is after they hosted a New Year’s Eve party in their new home in Marietta.Ĭhuck says that since they had never had a garbage disposal before, they never really thought about what they should or shouldn’t put in it.Īfter putting a variety of leftover food items down the sink, including shrimp shells, nuts, and even some pieces of an artichoke (after making an artichoke dip), their garbage disposal started making a very strange noise. Since a garbage disposal is a simple piece of equipment, maintaining and using a garbage disposal correctly may not seem like that big of a deal. When operating correctly, the food goes into the grinding part of the garbage disposal where it is shredded into tiny pieces, then continues down the drain line into the sewer system. Garbage disposals are generally hardwired or plugged into a 120-volt receptacle, which is typically located toward the back of the sink cabinet. In the simplest of terms, a garbage disposal is a device that has a small electric motor that turns rows of small blades that shred and chew up food scraps when they are sent down the drain. If it is not operated or maintained correctly, however, the garbage disposal can easily develop problems that can affect the way it operates. When it comes to keeping a kitchen clean and getting rid of food waste, a garbage disposal can provide a lot of help.

How to replace garbage disposal motor