Clogged Kitchen Sink Garbage Disposal

A clogged kitchen sink garbage disposal can be a major inconvenience. It can prevent you from using your sink to wash dishes, and it can also create unpleasant odors. If your garbage disposal is clogged, there are a few things you can do to try to unclog it yourself. However, if the clog is severe, you may need to call a plumber.

Causes of Clogged Garbage Disposals

There are a number of things that can cause a garbage disposal to clog, including:

Putting too much food waste into the disposal at once
Putting hard or fibrous foods into the disposal, such as bones, fruit pits, or celery
Putting grease or oil into the disposal
Not running the disposal with enough water
Using harsh chemicals to clean the disposal

How to Unclog a Garbage Disposal

If your garbage disposal is clogged, there are a few things you can do to try to unclog it yourself:

Run the disposal with hot water. This can help to dissolve grease and food waste that may be causing the clog.
Use a plunger. Place the plunger over the drain opening and plunge up and down several times. This can help to dislodge the clog.
Use a drain snake. A drain snake is a long, flexible tool that can be used to remove clogs from drains. Insert the drain snake into the drain opening and turn the handle to feed the snake into the drain. Once the snake reaches the clog, use the handle to pull the clog out of the drain.
Use baking soda and vinegar. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes, then flush the drain with hot water.
Call a plumber. If you are unable to unclog the garbage disposal yourself, you may need to call a plumber. A plumber will have the tools and experience to safely and effectively unclog your garbage disposal.

Preventing Clogged Garbage Disposals

There are a few things you can do to help prevent your garbage disposal from clogging, including:

Avoid putting too much food waste into the disposal at once.
Avoid putting hard or fibrous foods into the disposal, such as bones, fruit pits, or celery.
Avoid putting grease or oil into the disposal.
Run the disposal with enough water.
Use a garbage disposal cleaner on a regular basis.