Clogged garbage disposal

[tiggerlover]

Does anyone know how to fix a garbage disposal that has backed up. I guess I put too many tater skins in there because now I can't get it to drain. DH is on the warpath....I told him I have put tater skins down there before, but he thinks I did something wrong. HELP!

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Tater skins are a no-no in the garbage disposal! I ruined mine one day doing that. You can try and scoop all the gunk out, but you'll probably have to take it apart to really get it working right again. Or try some ice cubes - they sharpen the blades.

 

[tiggerlover]

Tater skins are a no-no in the garbage disposal! I ruined mine one day doing that. You can try and scoop all the gunk out, but you'll probably have to take it apart to really get it working right again. Or try some ice cubes - they sharpen the blades.

Wow, I had no idea about the tater skins, I have been putting them down the disposal for years. Can't put ice down there as I can't even get it to drain.

 

[ducklite]

First, unplug it!

Most disposals have a trap you can unscrew to unclog it. You'll probably need an allen wrench for it. They usually come with the right size wrench, and it's usually taped to teh unit or hanging from a little bag that's taped to it.

Unscrew the bolt with the allen wrench, (put something under the disposal) and the bottom will come off and you can fish everything out and into your bucket or pan. Then reattach the piece you took off, plug it back in, and it's should be like new.

Anne

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I've always put tater skins down the garbade disposal, but only in small amounts. One time my DH put the skins of 6 potatoes down the disposal and broke it. Of course he said that it was the little bit of onion that I put in there that broke it (onion is a no-no, but it was a little amount). He so stuffed it with peelings that it couldn't work, jammed, and broke.

 

[orvilleair]

You can turn the blades manually. Under the sink and under the disposal there is a slot to put in a hex key. Sometimes the key is taped to the body of the disposal.

 

[Jennifer S]

This happened to us once and we needed a plumber. He had to replace the disposal and unclog pipes as well. He said they only last about ten years (builder grade anyhow).

Other no no's - egg shells, saurkrout (spelling?) anything stringy, potato peels, bannana peels

Good luck

 

[mum4jenn]

I got a piece of gravel from the fish aquarium in mine and thought I broke it. BUT....there is a reset switch on the bottom of the disposal that might need to be pushed. If that button won't push in very far that all you have to do is take a hex wrench(they come in different sizes and the ends re shaped like a stop sign) and there is a little hole in the bottom that you fit it into and just turn it a little and that should do the trick. You can buy things made just for the disposal but they will cost more but a regular hex will do the trick.

There is NO WAY some potato skins caused a disposal to break!!! It normally takes somethings very very hard to break one. If my piece of gravel won't tear one up after three times then there is no way potato skins did it!! LOL!!! It might have gotten jammed because too much was put in there but I find it impossible to believe that potato skins could break one(especially if ice is put in it to sharpen the blades....ice is harder than skins!!!!!!)

 

[lyeag]

Ok, some might disagree, but if you are careful this might work. I have used a plunger before. Let the sink fill up to cover the drain and use the plunger. Only push down one or two times. NO MORE OR YOU COULD RUIN IT. I have done it a couple of times. If it doesn't work after trying it twice, then you will have to take it apart most likely.

 

[JoenAdamnErinnSam]

Just a question..and only because of the time of year-a heads up. Did you put any pumpkin innards(?) down the disposal? I've been in the kitchen and bath and plumbing biz for almost 20 years..DO NOT put the pumpkin guts down the disposal..it sets up like fiberglass when it dries and the only way to cure it is a razor like snake to cut it out of the pipes-I have never heard of potato skins causing any problems.

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

I put too many veggies down the disposal a few years ago. I poured Draino Gel down the other side of the sink and it drained. Then I ran water for about 5 minutes to clear out the Draino and turned it on. All gone.

 

[jenm2878]

Try a shop-vac. We have sucked out the gunk and if that didn't work, switch it so it'll "blow." Sucking it out usually works though.

 

[malibuconlee]

Ok, some might disagree, but if you are careful this might work. I have used a plunger before. Let the sink fill up to cover the drain and use the plunger. Only push down one or two times. NO MORE OR YOU COULD RUIN IT. I have done it a couple of times. If it doesn't work after trying it twice, then you will have to take it apart most likely.

IN our first apartment we had a disposal, never had one at home before. When I was cooking dinner right before my SIL and her husband came to visit I put tater skins down the disposal and clogged it. DH had to go buy a plunger (we had just moved in shortly before) and he used it to unclog the drain.

 

[tiggerlover]

Just a question..and only because of the time of year-a heads up. Did you put any pumpkin innards(?) down the disposal? I've been in the kitchen and bath and plumbing biz for almost 20 years..DO NOT put the pumpkin guts down the disposal..it sets up like fiberglass when it dries and the only way to cure it is a razor like snake to cut it out of the pipes-I have never heard of potato skins causing any problems.

Nope, no innards down our disposal. Just the skins of three taters.

 

[lyeag]

Everytime I have used the plunger, it is because I put too many skins down at one time...

 

[JoenAdamnErinnSam]

Great Halloween thread..if you just read the answers..lol "no innards, just skins", ok-time to go to bed, I know, I know

 

[Tigger&Belle]

When I was a kid my mother put an artichoke down our garbage disposal. I don't think she's bought an artichoke since and she wouldn't use a garbage disposal for years.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Hope it's an easy fix! I cannot get used to a garbage disposal. Never had one in our kitchen growing up. I never use mine. Just run it occasionally...just in case. LOL!

 

[Bashful2]

I can't even put one potato skin down my disposal. I did it twice before I realized what was clogging it. We ended up having to call a plumber both times. Of course, once was a weekend and the other a holiday. Very expensive lessons!

 

[mum4jenn]

I don't know what it is with everyone else's potato skins then. I never throw mine in the trash and always put them in the garbage disposal and we have potatoes about once a week!! And thet is with the skins from about 6 potatoes!!!I have never had any trouble with potato skins "breaking" my disposal OR clogging it. I run water at the same time it is running...could that be the difference?? In fact we put all kinds of stuff down the disposal and the only time I have had any trouble was when the gravel I wrote about earlier got jammed.

Try the methods some have suggested. I am pretty sure it is not broken...just jammed. There is a difference!!