You can unclog garbage disposal drain yourself without any difficulty provided you use the right technique. This story contains instructions that would help you to unclog a disposal sink successfully.
The garbage disposal unit is one of the most useful kitchen appliances. It helps us to get rid of the debris of food particles and prevent clogging of the kitchen sink. Sometimes, the unit gets jammed, and this results in poor drainage.
The reason for this could be a small and hard substance like a fruit or a bone piece getting stuck in between the blade and the drain hole. In some cases, it is possible that some heavy food materials are grounded up by the unit but could not be flushed out due to insufficient water. This can also lead to clogging up.
As a result, the motor makes a lot of noise, but the waste does not run. The unit may also stop working suddenly. If you hire a professional, it will be a costly affair. You can follow some simple measures, and do the task yourself.
Ways to Unclog Garbage Disposal
Preliminaries
First of all, you have to turn off the power supply to the system, and unplug the unit.
Before you start the task, you should equip yourself with some tools and materials. They are - baking soda, vinegar, a wrench, a knife, a flashlight, a screwdriver, and a toilet plunger.
When you have procured all these things, follow the given steps. They are given in a sequential order of using the different tools.
Use Vinegar and Baking soda
If there is a clogging caused by minor debris, begin with this simple step.
Run some water slowly through the garbage disposal system.
Prepare a thick paste by mixing up equal quantities of vinegar and baking soda, and pour it into the sink.
Wait for half an hour, and pour some more water.
This will help to clear up the small waste materials.
If this is done on a weekly basis, it can be helpful in the prevention of further clogging in future.
Use a Plunger
If the sink is filled with water even after the vinegar and baking soda treatment, then you can use a new, clean plunger to drain out the water.
This is an effective tool, and you can buy it from a local hardware store.
Place it over the drain, and pump air in and out of the drain using its handle.
This will drain out the stagnant water. Sometimes, it can clear out the blockage also.
Use a Pair of Tongs
Now that the water is out, take a powerful flashlight to check out the sink drain.
Thus, you can see if there is any foreign object, which is creating the blockage.
If it is visible, use a tool to remove the blocking stuff.
Use either a pair of tongs or pliers that can grab the material, and pull that out.
Use a Wrench
Open the cupboard under the kitchen sink, where the unit is placed.
Look at the bottom of the cylinder, and you will find a hex head hole there.
Place a hex head wrench into that hole, and turn it on both sides.
Thus, any obstruction that got stuck in the flywheel and was invisible through the sink drain will be eliminated.
Use a Screwdriver
Check out if the blades of the disposal are rotating properly or not.
If its movement is not smooth, then it is likely that something stuck in the blade is causing trouble.
Use the tip of a screwdriver to put pressure against the blades.
Once the blade starts moving, it means the source of obstruction has been dislocated, and then you can remove that material with the help of a screwdriver.
Once the problem is solved, turn on the power supply to check out if it is working properly. Garbage disposal can grind small pieces of leftover food but not large chunks like egg shells or banana skin. You can prevent clogging in future by not letting such food substances into the drain.