How To Unclog a Garbage Disposal
While a garbage disposal can be a convenient kitchen appliance, a clogged garbage disposal can be a huge problem. Clogged garbage disposals can smell and prevent water from draining, making it difficult for you to use your sink.
What causes clogged garbage disposals?
Your garbage disposal might be clogged for a number of reasons:
Damaging food
Not all food is fit for a garbage disposal. Foods that are too hard, like pits, seeds, and bones, can be too hard for your garbage disposal to grind up. Fats can solidify and prevent the disposal from draining. The starch in beans and potato peels can cause similar issues. Stringy banana peels and celery stalks can wrap around the garbage disposal’s blades, stopping it from moving.
Too much food
Garbage disposals do their best work when given small amounts of food to grind. Even if you’re careful about which foods you put in the garbage disposal, you can still clog the appliance with too much food at once.
Not enough water
Your garbage disposal needs water to clear away all the ground-up waste. If you run your garbage disposal without water or don’t leave the water running for long enough, the waste won’t get flushed away. Over time, this can clog your garbage disposal.
How do I unclog my garbage disposal?
You may be able to clean out a simple clog yourself with household items.
1. Unplug the garbage disposal.
Never try to fix your garbage disposal while it’s plugged in! This can be dangerous. Try turning the garbage disposal on and off a few times to be sure power is disconnected before attempting to fix a clog.
2. Look inside the garbage disposal for any visible debris.
Shine a flashlight into the garbage disposal. If you can see anything that could be causing the clog, remove it carefully with tongs or pliers. Do not stick your hand into the garbage disposal, even with the power off!
3. Use a plunger.
If your sink is filled with water and you can’t see down the drain, use a plunger. The plunger creates suction in the pipes that can dislodge a clog. Once the clog is loosened, run cold water through the pipes to remove any remaining waste.
4. Add baking soda and vinegar.
This is a popular DIY approach to clearing clogged garbage disposals. The mixture can help to remove fats stuck in your disposal, as well as get rid of any lingering smells.
To try this, pour baking soda into your garbage disposal, then pour in vinegar. Wait about 20 minutes to let the mixture break down the clog. After 20 minutes, rinse the garbage disposal with hot water to remove the mixture and waste.
5. Contact a professional.
If your DIY tactics haven’t worked, reach out to a master plumber. They can use professional tools and techniques to remove the pesky clog from your garbage disposal.
How do I prevent clogs in my garbage disposal?
While clogs can happen for many reasons, there are a few ways you can reduce the odds of clogging your garbage disposal.
Only put small amounts of food into the garbage disposal. If you need to grind up a larger amount of food, you can grind it in smaller batches. Rinse with cold water in between each batch to keep the garbage disposal clean.
Chop up scraps into smaller pieces before discarding. Your garbage disposal will work better if it doesn’t have to grind up large pieces of food. It’s also less likely to clog if the scraps are smaller to begin with.
Be careful about what you put in the garbage disposal. When in doubt, throw a food item in the garbage instead of the garbage disposal. You’re better safe than sorry!
Rinse often. After you use it, rinse cold water through the garbage disposal for at least one minute. This ensures the blades are clear and the pipes are empty.
Need help with a clogged garbage disposal? Aspen Plumbing is here to help.
We offer garbage disposal repair and replacement for people in Fort Collins, Colorado, and surrounding areas. Don’t stress about fixing a complicated clog yourself! Our team can get the job done in no time. Reach out today to schedule your appointment.
