![]() Garbage disposals may have powerful motors, but they still have their limits. Don’t force the garbage disposal to bite off more than it can chew.Grinding acidic citrus rinds cleans away any food scraps clinging to the garbage disposal and leaves behind a pleasing citrus scent. Used lemon wedges and orange rinds make a great garbage disposal cleaner. This will ensure that all the food particles have been broken up and cleaned out of the disposal. Keep the garbage disposal running for a full minute even after it’s done grinding up food. Run your garbage disposal for a long time.Prevent this corrosion by running cold water through the garbage disposal every day, even if there’s nothing for it to chew on. Water and food particles can cause corrosion to form on the garbage disposal’s moving parts, causing it to potentially freeze up. Most machines benefit from regular use, and this is especially true of a garbage disposal. Photo: How to Prevent Garbage Disposal Clogs Just a few minutes of maintenance every few weeks can save you headaches down the road. To prevent another clog, it’s important to maintain the appliance by following the steps outlined below. After the plumber clears the problem and goes on her way, however, there’s ongoing maintenance to be done. Turn the appliance and the power back off and call a plumber. STEP 5: If all else fails, call a plumber. (Again, you may have to hit the garbage disposal reset button to get it started.) If the disposal is functioning properly, call it a day and make yourself a cocktail this time. Next, pour ½ cup of white vinegar over the baking soda, and be prepared for fizz and foam.Īfter 5 to 10 minutes, turn the breaker and the disposal back on and run hot water into the disposal for another couple of minutes. The combination of baking soda and vinegar offers comparable unclogging power, but on a much gentler scale.Įnsure again that the breaker and disposal are both powered off, and pour ¼ cup of baking soda into the garbage disposal. Many garbage disposals contain plastic parts, and using harsh drain cleaners can degrade those parts. STEP 4: Use baking soda and vinegar to dislodge the clog. If they don’t budge, it may be time to prepare a cocktail-for the clogged drain, that is. If so, turn on the breaker and disposal to see if the food remnants can be processed through the drainpipe. If water begins to drain, it’s a good sign that food scraps might do likewise. In these situations, it’s helpful to use a plunger first to try to loosen food that has clogged the disposal.Īfter covering the drain completely with the plunger, allow water to cover the edge of the plunger and plunge the drain a few times. Food can clog a garbage disposal when it isn’t broken down enough to be flushed out of the drainpipe. Since there are no more foreign objects to retrieve, it’s time to consider another cause of the clog: lingering leftovers. STEP 3: Use a plunger to clear leftover food scraps. If the disposal is still clogged, continue to Step 3. If it drains water and works properly, give yourself a pat on the back. (It may be necessary to push the reset button on the disposal-it’s usually found on the underside of the appliance.) Once all visible items have been removed, turn the breaker back on, turn the water on, and then turn on the disposal. Do you see any objects that could be causing the clog? If so, use a pair of long-handled tongs or pliers to carefully retrieve these items and clear the way. Once the breaker is turned off, shine a flashlight into the disposal. STEP 2: Try to identify what is causing the clog. A successful home repair will never be as memorable as a trip to the emergency room. STEP 1: Turn off the power at the breaker box.įor homeowners attempting repairs, the first thing to do is turn off the breaker that controls the disposal. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to and affiliated sites.
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