garbage disposal help, please, to avoid a plum$er!$!

[mafibisha]

Help, please! Our disposal is still spinning but nothing will go down, eeyuck!!!

Tried using the little metal key-thingy that fits into the unit under the sink but it doesn't help because it's still rotating, but nothing is going down. Do I have to call a plumber or do any of you have a home-remedy idea? Would greatly appreciate it!!

 

[Panna]

It may be clogged.

What I have done before was to block the drain opposite of the disposal (someone may need to hold down the stopper) and then used a plunger on the disposal side of the drain. This does get rather nasty as some old food and water may come up, but it usually works. It may take a few minutes, and if nothing is happening, put a bit of liquid dish soap in the drain and wait a few minutes before trying again.

Hope that nothing is seariously wrong with your disposal. Plumbers charges *yuck*

 

[lspst8]

Mine's been clogged twice --- both happened on consecutive Thanksgiving due to the amount of potato and apple peels I shoved down it.

We cleared out the cabinent, took off the U-pipe and used a Shop-Vac to suck out all of the peels. Sometimes you can get the clog out with an unbent wire hanger, but my sink is piped weirdly, so the Shop-Vac works wonders.

 

[delmar411]

you aren't supposed to put peels down the drain...just a heads up on that.

And when I do forget that little bit of info what ends up happening is DH has to take the u-bend off ours and clear out all the clogged bits. It's gross but definitely not plumber worthy.

 

[lspst8]

you aren't supposed to put peels down the drain...just a heads up on that.

Really?? I've never heard that before. I know banana peels area no-no, but you aren't supposed to grind up potato skins?

 

[DebMcDonald]

We had to call a plumber two weeks ago because I put down cilantro stems and they totally clogged the pipe. Two days of my husband snaking it and taking apart pipes and then $125 later and two hours worth of the plumber and we were fixed. The plumber needed the snake with the cutter on the end.

 

[Panna]

Really?? I've never heard that before. I know banana peels area no-no, but you aren't supposed to grind up potato skins?

Not sure what it is about potato skins, but they just don't agree with disposals. Each time I have had my sink clog is due to those dang things. Now what I do is put a papertowel or plastic bag in the sink over the drain and peel them, then it's easy clean up.

 

[Mom3girls]

I vote with the OP that said to try and take the bendy pipe off and clean it out. We had this happen twice and both times it was elbow macaroni that swell from the water and totally clogged up that pipe. Good luck and hold your nose!!!

 

[delmar411]

Really?? I've never heard that before. I know banana peels area no-no, but you aren't supposed to grind up potato skins?

no potatoes or carrots or any other type of peel. Nor should you run seeds down the drain, like from cantaloupes.

The textures are not compatible with being shredded by the blades so they just end up being forcing down into the drain and getting stuck.

 

[Janet Hill]

I'm always clogging ours up by putting cucumber peelings down there. I no longer use my disposal; I just toss it all in the trash. It's just easier

 

[Va-bear]

Yeah, I screwed ours up once w/ corn husks (some of the silk was mixed in - a big no-no.) Well, I was desparate so I tried the trick that is supposed to sharpen the blades - you know, grinding up ice cubes.....and it worked! Don't know if the ice pieces somehow grabbed onto the pieces of silk that wouldnt move, or what. But after about 4 trays of ice (w/ some extra winding of the metal key thing in between) it worked fine again....go figure....at least worth a shot.

Good luck!!

 

[prncess674]

I only let just a few errant peels down the disposal, but I don't use my garbage disposal like a trash can. Dinner plates are scraped over the garbage can and then washed, the small food particles left over are then ground up by the disposal.

 

[pixiewings71]

Anything starchy (like rice or potatoes) will expand in the water, especially if you use hot water, I just put anything "peeled in the garbage can, it's just easier that way. lol

OP, we do as suggested by others, just take it apart and clean it the drains, it will be messy but it will work. The Shop Van idea is GREAT! We haven't done that one yet, DBF usually just gets down there and makes a big mess. LOL

 

[mafibisha]

It may be clogged.

What I have done before was to block the drain opposite of the disposal (someone may need to hold down the stopper) and then used a plunger on the disposal side of the drain. This does get rather nasty as some old food and water may come up, but it usually works. It may take a few minutes, and if nothing is happening, put a bit of liquid dish soap in the drain and wait a few minutes before trying again.

Hope that nothing is seariously wrong with your disposal. Plumbers charges *yuck*

It worked, yayyyy!! Thank you soo much!! I bought a new plunger (for obvious reasons ) and it was a great tiny investment!!

Thank you EVERYONE for your ideas! I'm saving this thread JUST in case it happens again and is even worse!! Anything to avoid another plumber visit / charge right now (sorry if anyone here is one, or married to one -- we just can't afford it at all right now!)

 

[Panna]

Woohoo that is good news!

I don't usually like to unhook my pipes, because with my luck either water would spill everywhere and mildew, or i'd break something, so I have become a bit more clever at how to do a few things.

A small investment of a new plunger is certainly a good switch off (and just think of the workout your arms got today )