Knowing how to unclog a garbage disposal is a key skill for homeowners to have in their DIY repertoire. I suggest using boiling water or a baking soda and vinegar solution for food waste, or tongs to remove foreign objects manually.
When something falls into your garbage disposal that’s not supposed to be there, it’s vital to remove it right away to avoid damage. A clog can cause your garbage disposal to leak, chip the blades, burn out the motor, or even corrode the plastic and metal parts of the disposal.
| Skill Level: Beginner Estimated Time: 15-30 minutes Cost: $25-60, depending on the tools you need to purchase. |
Safety First
Before you start unclogging your garbage disposal, it’s vital to know garbage disposal safety. You’re dealing with an appliance with sharp spinning blades, which can cause serious injuries if unclogged improperly. Follow these simple rules to minimize risks and protect both yourself and those around you:
- Unplug your garbage disposal, and keep it unplugged at all times while working on it.
- If someone enters the kitchen while you’re working, make them aware of what you’re doing and that the garbage disposal should not be plugged back in.
- Never put your hand inside the garbage disposal hole or near the blades, even when it’s unplugged.
Step 1: Gather Supplies
Gather tools and supplies before you begin unclogging your garbage disposal. Depending on the type of clog you’re trying to remove, you may need a varying set of tools.
- Drain brush
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Tongs, pliers, or a similar instrument for grabbing small objects
- Hot water
- Bucket
- Flashlight
My Tip: While you’re unclogging your garbage disposal, take the time to clean it. You already have it taken apart, so what are a few extra steps? Use our guide on How to Clean a Garbage Disposal.
Step 2: Remove the Splash Guard
Remove the garbage disposal’s splash guard, which is the black part that sits on the drain. Older models require you to take out the entire garbage disposal, but newer disposals’ splash guards can be removed just by pulling.
Step 3: Access the Clog
Now to the main event: Determine what exactly is clogging your garbage disposal. Shine a flashlight down the drain and see if you can identify the clog visually. Hard clogs like silverware or bone may be easy to identify, but you may have to look harder for soft ones like food waste. Look closely at the blades; it’s possible something’s caught in them.
Also, try to remember what you put down the garbage disposal recently. That may give you some insight into the nature of the clog. Coffee grounds, fibrous foods like celery or potato, and eggshells are notorious clog candidates.
It’s even possible that the clog is caused not by a solid chunk but by layers of buildup. Grease, oil, and food particles can build up until they impede the garbage disposal. If your garbage disposal looks grimy and has a coating on the inside, that could be your clog.
Once you determine the nature of the clog, the method for unclogging your garbage disposal depends on the type of clog. For a food waste clog, proceed to Step 4A. For foreign objects, go to Step 4B.
My Tip: If the clog isn’t visible from the garbage disposal’s entrance, you may need to disconnect the drain pipe. Ensure you have a bucket below the pipe to catch water that will spill out.
Step 4A: Remove Food Waste
Most food clogs are soft and can be removed by quickly breaking them up with tongs or a wooden spoon. Insert your instrument and gently rotate it against the blades to dislodge stuck food. Once that’s done, pour boiling water down the drain to wash away the food waste and remove debris.
If your garbage disposal is still not cleared, use baking soda and vinegar.
- Pour half a cup of baking soda into the garbage disposal, followed by one cup of vinegar. The ensuing chemical reaction will create a large amount of white foam that will scrub the disposal and break up the clog.
- Follow with more boiling water and repeat as necessary.
- Once the clog is gone, rinse the garbage disposal with cold water for 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 4B: Remove Foreign Objects
For hard objects, such as a bone or utensil, use tongs or pliers to remove the clog. Simply grasp the source of the clog and pull it out of the garbage disposal. If it’s too far to reach, you may have to dismantle the garbage disposal or go in from the bottom, the drain pipe.
My Tip: If the foreign object has been there a while and the clog has muck built up around it, use the baking soda and vinegar method as described in Step 4A. Then, you should be able to remove the object with tongs or pliers.
Step 5: Wrap Up
Your last step is to put the garbage disposal back together and ensure it’s running smoothly. First, if you removed the disposal, put it back in place. Reattach any pipes you disconnected, such as the drain pipe. Then, replace the splash guard.
Finally, plug your garbage disposal back in and test it. If it still isn’t working properly, go back and repeat the steps to unclog your disposal as necessary. On the other hand, if your garbage disposal is running smoothly now, congratulations! You’re done.
Find a Handyman Near You
It’s not pleasant to unclog a garbage disposal, but it’s a simple task that any homeowner should be able to handle. However, you may need to call a professional if the clog is taking longer than 30 minutes to remove.
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Main Photo Credit: koumaru / Adobe Stock Free / License
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