How to Unclog a Garbage Disposal
Turn off your disposal., Determine what's causing the clog., Manually turn your blades to try breaking up clogged materials., Do not pour chemicals down a garbage disposal., Shut off the electricity to the garbage disposal completely.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Turn off your disposal.
Before doing anything to your sink and disposal make sure that you turn off the disposal to prevent any accidents and injury.
You don’t have to cut the power to your disposal just yet as you’re only checking to see if there is material clogging the drain.
Don’t stick anything into the drain until you cut the power, however.
Look under the sink and make sure to unplug the disposal.
For older makes, you may have to go to your fuse box to cut the power. -
Step 2: Determine what's causing the clog.
Use a flashlight to look down the drain.
Depending on what kind of blockage you see, you will be able to determine what tools you will need to remove the clog.
If you believe your disposal is clogged by something other than food, do not run water and try to unclog it using the same methods you would with food.
If it is a valuable object, such as a ring, you may want to call a plumber immediately to improve the chances it can be removed safely.
If the clog has developed over time, it is most likely because there is too much food debris sticking to your pipes.
The water hasn't been able to flush it down into your disposer.
You may have to plunge the sink. , In some cases, you may find that your disposer is clogged under your sink.
You will need to manually run it to remove the clog.
Manually turning the blades on your disposer will help you identify where the clog is.
This method can also help you break up some debris.
Manually turning the blades lets the blades move slower and not get stuck as easily.
This method involves using an Allen wrench to manually turn the blades.
You can usually find the manual operator at the bottom of the disposer.
Insert your Allen wrench and turn the blades manually.
This method allows you to slowly break down materials.
Refer to your manual if you are manually turning the blades for proper instruction. , Unclogging a kitchen sink is different than unclogging garbage disposals.
The chemicals used to unclog a drain can eat away at the plastic parts of your disposal. , If you have determined that you need to manually remove debris from the disposal, shut off the switch.
Then, cut the power for the disposal with the breaker box, in case the switch is faulty.
You can also go under your sink and unplug the actual disposal unit.
This will also ensure that nothing accidentally turns on.
If your disposer is also connected to a dishwasher, use a clamp to tighten and pinch the flexible part of the drain line.
This ensures that no dirty water flows back into the dishwasher cabinet. -
Step 3: Manually turn your blades to try breaking up clogged materials.
-
Step 4: Do not pour chemicals down a garbage disposal.
-
Step 5: Shut off the electricity to the garbage disposal completely.
Detailed Guide
Before doing anything to your sink and disposal make sure that you turn off the disposal to prevent any accidents and injury.
You don’t have to cut the power to your disposal just yet as you’re only checking to see if there is material clogging the drain.
Don’t stick anything into the drain until you cut the power, however.
Look under the sink and make sure to unplug the disposal.
For older makes, you may have to go to your fuse box to cut the power.
Use a flashlight to look down the drain.
Depending on what kind of blockage you see, you will be able to determine what tools you will need to remove the clog.
If you believe your disposal is clogged by something other than food, do not run water and try to unclog it using the same methods you would with food.
If it is a valuable object, such as a ring, you may want to call a plumber immediately to improve the chances it can be removed safely.
If the clog has developed over time, it is most likely because there is too much food debris sticking to your pipes.
The water hasn't been able to flush it down into your disposer.
You may have to plunge the sink. , In some cases, you may find that your disposer is clogged under your sink.
You will need to manually run it to remove the clog.
Manually turning the blades on your disposer will help you identify where the clog is.
This method can also help you break up some debris.
Manually turning the blades lets the blades move slower and not get stuck as easily.
This method involves using an Allen wrench to manually turn the blades.
You can usually find the manual operator at the bottom of the disposer.
Insert your Allen wrench and turn the blades manually.
This method allows you to slowly break down materials.
Refer to your manual if you are manually turning the blades for proper instruction. , Unclogging a kitchen sink is different than unclogging garbage disposals.
The chemicals used to unclog a drain can eat away at the plastic parts of your disposal. , If you have determined that you need to manually remove debris from the disposal, shut off the switch.
Then, cut the power for the disposal with the breaker box, in case the switch is faulty.
You can also go under your sink and unplug the actual disposal unit.
This will also ensure that nothing accidentally turns on.
If your disposer is also connected to a dishwasher, use a clamp to tighten and pinch the flexible part of the drain line.
This ensures that no dirty water flows back into the dishwasher cabinet.
About the Author
Paul Adams
Writer and educator with a focus on practical creative arts knowledge.
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