Clogged garbage disposal

[hemispheredancer]

I have noticed that if I put too much gunk down the disposal it will back up. Even ice. What I do to remedy this is: if you have a double sink, completely close off the other drain with the plug. Firmly hold this plug down because when you run the water on the disposal side then turn the disposal on it will pop the plug off the other drain. This should clear your disposal drain out. It has always worked for me. Maybe it's got something to do with the suction or extra air in the drain? I normally don't put potato peels down the drain. I do send egg shells and food scraps down there. One time a small chicken bone jammed the GD and DH had to take the allen wrench and manually turn the blades to unjam it.

 

[ducklite]

I've never had a problem with potato peels either. I peel them into the sink, then turn on the water, then the disposal, then use the sprayer to get them down the drain into the disposal.

Anne

 

[Tigger&Belle]

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!!

I also always put my skins down the disposal and the only time I've had trouble was the time that I mentioned when my DH put all 6 potato skins in the disposal before turning it on (I gradually stuff them down the disposal while running water). It didn't just jam ours, but burned the motor out (my DH was determined that they go down ).

 

[Bashful2]

I don't know what it is about the potato skins. I put all kinds of other things down my disposal, even celery, some chicken bones & grease. I also can put cooked potato skins in there. As long as I run a lot of cold water, it's fine.

With uncooked potato skins, it backs up both sinks so bad that no amount of plunging or drano will work. DH recently bought a snake for our bathroom sink when it got really clogged. That is what the plumber used for our kitchen sink, but for some reason he got on the roof to use it.

 

[agnes!]

Your plumber used the vent pipe on the roof. Often that is a straight shot down without having to take apart any pipe...

agnes!

 

[Bashful2]

Oh, ok. I never knew there was an access to your plumbing from the roof. Thanks agnes!.

 

[tiggerlover]

I am h appy to report that the plunger did the trick. (That and DH scooping the tater skins out!) Thanks to all for the tips and advice.

 

[pumba]

Ours ended up not being the garbage disposal (which we call the Pig) but the pipes in the celler that were clogged from grease buildup and also anything else that got stuck there.......IT WAS DISGUSTING.......but the last time about 15 years ago it cost us a hundred dollars to get a guy from Roto Rooter.......I mean disgusting.. so hubby and I decided to do it.......he opened up the pipes at one joint and he did a snake thingie and twisted it around and around and found the clog.........DISGUSTING.......I stood back a few feet......good luck