Clogged Kitchen Sink Food Disposal

Go beneath the sink and locate the dishwasher drain pipe that connects to the garbage disposal if you have one.

Clogged kitchen sink food disposal.

Don t overload the disposal. Oftentimes a sink can be unclogged using a plunger or baking soda and white vinegar. If your garbage disposal sink is clogged there are several ways you can try to fix it without having to call a plumber. Then vigorously plunge the drain for a minute.

Then inspect it to make sure it s running correctly. Most clogs are caused by food or other items lodging between the rotor and casing of the disposal canister. Or the drain connecting the garbage disposer to the rest of the sink s drain trap assembly can become clogged and cause water to back up into the sink basin where the disposer is installed. Push the bottom end of the wooden probe against the impeller the blades that grind up the garbage and rock it back and forth to free it.

A clogged kitchen sink with a built in garbage dipsosal may just have food scraps from last night s dinner that the unit failed to grind up in which case running the. Clamp the end of the. You can usually release the rotor by inserting a hex wrench into the socket in the middle of the rotor from underneath the garbage disposal. Before trying to unclog it always switch off the garbage disposal s power source for safety purposes.

Turn off the power and insert a long dowel a wooden spoon or a broom handle never your hand into the drain opening. Add water to the sink so the lip of the plunger is covered in water. The drain fittings can loosen and cause leaking beneath the sink. These steps can help you avoid fixing a clogged kitchen sink.

Check the garbage disposal. Place the plunger directly over the sink drain so the plunger completely covers the drain. Food can clog garbage disposals when it isn t broken down enough to be flushed out of the drainpipe. If the drain is still clogged continue to the next step.

This causes the rotor to lock up and the drain to overflow. If the disposal has overheated you may need to flip the switch found on the side or bottom of the unit underneath the sink. Grind no more than 1 cup of food waste at a time and do not put any inorganic matter down the drain. A clogged disposal can stop up the drain so run the disposal to see if that clears the clog.

If the disposal is still clogged follow these steps.