The in-sink garbage disposal does the dirty work so that you don’t have to toss scraps into the garbage where they’ll rot and gather flies until pick-up day.
It’s a real champion of kitchen appliances, so give it some much-needed garbage disposal maintenance on occasion. This will help it run smoother, eliminate funky odors and evict pesky drain flies.
Here’s how.
Step 1: Cut the Power to the Garbage Disposal
You’ve seen what the garbage disposal can do to food. Imagine what it can do to your hand. That’s why you must -- absolutely must -- disconnect the power before cleaning it. It’s typically plugged into an outlet below the sink. Unplug it. Confirm the garbage disposal is off by turning it on.
Step 2: See What’s Down There
Use a flashlight and have a look. If you see any vegetable fibers wrapped around the impellers, remove them with tongs or needle-nose pliers. Over time, these fibers can gum up the works. (By the way, stop putting stringy produce down your drain.) Never, ever, put your hand down it to remove anything you might find. We don’t care if it’s unplugged!
Step 3: Dump Ice and Salt Down It
Rock salt, ice, and water should cleanse the blades of gunky buildup.
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Put a couple of dozen ice cube down your drain and top it off with about a half cup of rock salt
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Plug the appliance back in
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Turn on the faucet and let the garbage disposal run for about a minute
Step 4: Add Vinegar and Baking Soda
Vinegar and baking soda is a potent combination that creates a fizzy reaction to kill bacteria, such as salmonella and E. coli.
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Pour half a cup of vinegar and half a cup of baking soda into the drain
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Let it fizz for about 15 minutes
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Meanwhile, make a paste out of the ingredients and place on an old toothbrush
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Scrub around the rubber flaps to remove mildew, bacteria, and grime
Step 5: Flush
This is the final one-two punch that will purge the appliance of all the gunky bits.
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Plug the drain
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Fill the basin with water
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Add a teaspoon of dish soap
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Remove the plug
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Turn on the disposal until the water drains
See how easy that was? Not only is the appliance cleaner, but it will also operate more efficiently. If you’d like to fill the air with a lemony fresh scent, run citrus peels through the disposal.
For all of your plumbing needs, contact Aztec Plumbing & Drains at (239) 932-2959.
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Why Is My Garbage Disposal Humming But Not Working?
Have you turned on your garbage disposal only to hear a faint humming and not the blade-turning and food processing you’re used to? There are a few reasons this may be happening.
If the disposal is humming, you are still getting power to the device, which rules out any electrical supply problems. Something else, usually a jam or a bad motor, is preventing the unit from working. In this article we'll go over some garbage disposal repair steps you can take to fix the issue.
A Jammed Disposal
Jammed blades are often to blame when your garbage disposal is humming but not working properly.
Determine whether your disposal is jammed by following these steps:
- Turn off power to the disposal. You can simply flip the switch to the OFF position, but we suggest also unplugging the disposal.
- Visually check for food or foreign objects in the disposal. If there’s anything inside, remove it and try running the disposal. If you don’t see any blockage or if you clear the disposal and it still doesn’t work, move on to step #3.
- Use a wooden spoon to push and rotate the blades gently. After a few rotations, check to see if the disposal runs correctly. If not, continue to the next step.
- Use an Allen wrench to rotate the flywheel manually. Stick a ¼ inch Allen wrench into the hole at the bottom of the disposal.
- Turn the Allen wrench back and forth. Then check to see if the disposal runs normally. If the disposal still only hums and water doesn’t drain well, have a professional check for a clog in the P-trap under your sink.
Always run water while you are testing the disposal. Also, avoid keeping the disposal on for more than a minute at a time to prevent damage to the motor.
A Faulty Motor
If you’ve determined that your disposal isn’t jammed, you most likely have a disposal motor that needs to be repaired or replaced. If your disposal motor is at fault, it’s probably more cost-effective to just replace the garbage disposal altogether instead of repairing it.
If your disposal motor needs to either be repaired or replaced, consult with a professional plumber to get a quote so that you can make the right decision for your home.
Garbage Disposal Humming? 24/7 Emergency Repairs
If these DIY solutions didn’t work, there may be a deeper issue in your drains or with your disposal. Contact the Aztec Plumbing & Drains team today at (239) 932-2959 for expert advice and service.
Learn More in Our Garbage Disposal Series:
Aztec Plumbing is often called when homeowners are having “garbage disposal issues”. What we often find is that the issues have occurred due to improper use or by putting the wrong things down the garbage disposal. Our Fort Myers plumbing experts put together a list of things NOT to put down your disposal as well as a few tips for cleaning and keeping those blades sharp.
Proper Way to Use Your Garbage Disposal
First, we wanted to discuss how to properly use a garbage disposal. Many homeowners assume they are using their garbage disposal correctly but the majority are not. Here is the proper way to run your garbage disposal.
- If there is a stopper in the sink remove the stopper from the drain opening and run cold water into the sink.
- After the water is running, turn on the garbage disposal switch to begin the disposal
- Slowly put food waste into the disposer, If you fill up your disposal too fast this may cause it to clog the disposal or possibly break it.
- After you have completed disposing of food contents, turn the disposer off but continue to run water to allow the drain to clear leftover residue.
How to Maintain Your Garbage Disposal
Now after you have properly ran your disposal system. Here are some tips on maintaining it to keep it from breaking or wearing down:
- Always run water after using your garbage disposal. This helps keep the drain line clear and unclogged for future disposals.
- Even though this may seem unusual you should put hard materials such as small bones, pits from fruits and ice cubes in the disposal. This creates a scouring action and leaves your drain cleaner than before.
- Grinding the peels of citrus fruits such as oranges or lemons can freshen up your drain masking the odors some drains leave behind.
- Occasionally use a disposer cleaner, degreaser, & deodorizer as necessary to relieve odors caused by grease build-up.
If you follow these simple guidelines, your garbage disposal should stay in pristine condition! If you would like information about upgrading your disposal to the new ISE Evolution Pro 880 Stainless Series we can schedule an appointment for one of our technicians to explain all the benefits.
What Not to Do with Your Garbage Disposal
Now that you know how to clean and maintain your disposal here is what NOT to do:
- When using your disposal make sure you are using COLD water. It is okay to use hot water in between disposals but using hot water directly with your disposal can damage it.
- When peeling vegetables do not put peels into the drain at once. Instead, turn on sink and disposal, then gradually feed peels into the disposer.
- Don’t turn off disposer until grinding is complete and only the sound of the motor and water is heard.
What Should Not Go Down Your Garbage Disposal?
- Never put stringy/fibrous waste into the garbage disposal such as poultry skins, celery, asparagus, and banana peels. These can get caught and possibly damage the motor.
- Avoid grinding bread, pasta, rice, and all other starchy leftovers that can expand in your drains.
- Grease, oil, and fat are a big no-no! They can solidify and cause stoppages. The best way of getting rid of excess grease is by letting it harden and throwing it away.
- Coffee grinds might seem to go down just fine, but they can get clogged in the trap below the garbage disposal. It’s best to just throw them out the old fashioned way.
- Standard garbage disposals aren’t designed to handle hard items such as fruit pits, seeds, and bones. It’ll only damage the unit.
How To Get Rid of the Odor From Your Disposal
Food build-up in your garbage disposal can cause unpleasant odors. To get rid of those odors, you can grind ice cubes and lemon rinds in the disposal for 30 seconds. Once that’s clear and the garbage disposal is still running, pour a small amount of dish soap down the garbage disposal and run cold water to rinse.
What If Will Be Leaving Your Home for Long Periods of Time?
When leaving for your northern homes at the end of this summer, remember to put a teaspoon or two of cooking oil into the basket of the disposer and, without running any water, turn it on just briefly enough to get the grinding disk and teeth up to speed and turn it off right away.
This will put lubricate those parts and delay any rust or oxidation from occurring prematurely.
Call Aztec Plumbing & Drains Today!
We hope these tips are beneficial in keeping your disposal clean and clear. If you do notice a blockage in your garbage disposal system, do not hesitate to call Aztec Plumbing & Drains. We are here to help you from A to Z!
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