Garbage disposal systems are designed to grind and dispose of small food particles down the sink drain. If a person places items in the disposal, such as celery or broccoli stocks, plant fibers can become tangled and the disposal can fail to work properly or completely break down. There are relatively few parts to a garbage disposal, and fixing one can be done in a few different ways with a little troubleshooting. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Locate the red reset switch on the underside of the disposal. Reset the garbage disposal by turning the breaker off and back on. If the disposal does not make a humming noise and/or the blades do not turn, it may need to be reset. Try to use the disposal after reseting it.
2. Dump ice cubes into the garbage disposal and turn it on immediately. Ice compacts small food particles and prevents them from spraying away from the blades. If the disposal is only partially working, the ice will help to grind lodged debris and sharpen the blade.
3. Turn off the breaker dedicated to the garbage disposal. If the ice does not dislodge the debris, shut down power to the disposal unit. Shine a flashlight into the drain to see if there are large food particles or strands caught in the blades. Remove such impediments with tongs.
4. Unclog disposals that will not drain by pouring 1/2 cup of white vinegar and 1/2 cup of baking soda into the unit. Boil 4 to 6 cups of water and pour it over the vinegar and baking soda mix after 30 minutes. This will unclog the drain and remove most odors.
Tags: food particles, garbage disposal, baking soda, disposal does, small food, small food particles
