Garbage disposal is a handy kitchen tool that helps collect solid food and grind it. However, landfills are not always rosy, as they may become clogged and no longer serve their purpose.
You can decide to call a professional plumber to clog the garbage and solve your problem in no time; however, you’ll be giving up a fair amount of money, especially if your machine clogs frequently. So it pays to take the time to learn how to unclog your landfill and save yourself a fair amount of money, even if you can get your hands a little dirty.
So how do you unclog the landfill? First of all, there are several causes of clogging in a landfill that you will need to find if you do not want to have consistent clogging problems. These causes can be from one or more food products, a non-food product, a blade obstruction, or loose fittings in the sink drain. Therefore, before we learn how to unclog the garbage disposal, we need to look at some of the common causes of a clogged garbage disposal to identify what measures are appropriate to solve it.
Causes of a garbage disposal blockage
A clog usually occurs in the drain valve downstream of the garbage dump after the food has been ground and is sent through the drain. The problem with draining is mainly associated with how food reacts to water or the lack of water, and when it doesn’t drain smoothly, food clogs the drain line. So, if you notice that the garbage disposal is no longer draining, it is probably related to the drain assembly. Other times, you may experience if an object is obstructing or pushing the blade to work.
However, garbage disposal clogs are primarily due to how the appliance is used. So, follow these to know how you caused a crash in your device.
1. Insufficient wash water
Using a little water to flush leftover food is a surefire way to clog your trash can. Because when there is not enough water, the food does not drain properly and then later it leads to a build up that eventually blocks the drainage. To avoid this, let the water run for at least one minute after the waste has been ground to clean the accumulated debris, then turn off the garbage collector.
2. Grinding the wrong types of food
As effective as a garbage disposal is in helping to eliminate waste, it cannot be used grind certain types of food. Some of these parts of food include:
- Hard foods such as seeds, ice cubes, bones, and corncobs are too strong for the trash to grind and can damage the blade. Also, pasta, corn husks, lettuce and banana peels will wrap around the blade and restrict the easy movement of the blades.
- Greasy items will quickly clog the drain, and foods like potato peels and banana peels can create a thick, grease-like paste that will cause problems for the waste to pass through.
- Finally, eggshells and coffee grounds also cause similar problems because they become small pieces when ground up and can easily clog areas of the garbage disposal.
3. Too much food at once
A common misconception about garbage disposals is that they can handle a lot of food at once. This is an error that weakens the blades and makes it difficult to drain. To know if the dump is out of date, listen to the sound it makes while working. Disposal of overloaded garbage it hums and rarely moves when inspected. Also, because it is given a considerable amount to grind at once, the machine grinds in large portions and causes clogging.
The only thing that should go into the garbage disposal is food; other items such as paper, foil, fabric and foil, among others, will only contribute to clogging and damage to the device.
Tools/materials for unclogging a landfill
Since you already know the root of this problem, it’s time to understand how to solve it. Here are the things you’ll need to unclog your landfill:
- Channel Lock Pliers
- Lantern
- Baking soda and vinegar
- Toilet pump
- Hex key or wooden handle
- Bucket
- Drain the snake
- Dish washing gloves
How to unclog a landfill
Unclogging your garbage disposal takes less than 30 minutes if you follow the instructions. And while following the things you should do, it is essential to know what you should not do; one of them is to stick your hands in the machine to get rid of whatever is causing the clog. Unfortunately, this is harmful to your hands and ineffective in the solution to the problem. So here are the steps to follow to clean your device:
1. Turn off the device
This is the first step to take when cleaning the trash. It is a safety measure as you should never work on the machine while it is on. So before you start, turn off and unplug your device.
2. Inspect the machine for the cause
Use a flashlight to search the garbage disposal and check for the cause of the clog. When you find it, use a drain plug or pliers to carefully pull the clogged items out of the machine and dispose of them. When you have successfully removed all residual residues in storage, turn on the water and turn on the appliance again. If the device drains water smoothly, you have properly unclogged it.
3. Use baking soda and vinegar as a natural detergent
If the garbage disposal still doesn’t work after you’ve dug all the waste out of it, or you’ll have another technique instead, then you should try this one. Baking soda and vinegar will clean the food build-up in the unit. This method is perfect for grease or grease build-up and freshening up a smelly garbage disposal.
- Make a solution of ¼ cup baking soda and ½ white vinegar and pour it into the trash. Alternatively, you can transfer the ingredients directly into the container.
- Then wait for the fizz to unclog the unit for 10 to 20 minutes
- Run hot water into the container for a few minutes to thoroughly clean the unit
4. Use a plunger to scoop out food waste
Using a toilet pump is an effective method of cleaning drains and blocked sinks. Push waste down the drain using water pressure. Here’s how to go about it:
- Cover the drain well with the plunger
- Next, fill the sink with water around the lip of the plunger to create a water seal
- Push up and down firmly and repeatedly to loosen the leak
- Check for loose waste reclaimed from the sewer and remove it
- Then run on water to see if the water drains freely
5. Use a hex key or a wooden handle
If all of the above techniques don’t work, locate the bottom of the dumpster for a hex hole. Next, use a hex wrench or hex wrench to manually turn the rotor blade clockwise and counterclockwise a few times to loosen the clog. Once the blade moves freely, it means the job is done and you can now pick out the clogged parts with pliers. If your trash can doesn’t have a hex hole, you can use a wooden handle to perform the technique.
6. Clean the trap p
The P-trap is a pipe permanently attached to the dump that looks like a P or S. A plunger may not work to unclog if the P-trap is clogged with debris, so you’ll need to clean it first. Place a bucket under the drain pipe and loosen the nuts on the siphon so that the debris and trapped water can be released into the bucket. Clean the P trap if there is debris there and also check the pickup arm for dirt. If you can’t get to the drain pipes properly, you can use a drain snake to unclog any debris in the pipe.
7. Contact an installer
If you’ve tried all the methods mentioned and none of them worked, you might be facing a more serious problem than you think; probably the blade is stuck. You’ll need to call an expert plumber to take a look at your garbage disposal and help you get it up and running again. However, when the plumber is done with the job and done, you need to take the necessary steps to ensure that you don’t let the appliance clog again.
Some of these ways to prevent your garbage disposal from clogging are turning on the appliance daily and running water through the machine daily to avoid corrosion and prevent the blades from freezing. Also, be careful what you set aside to grind and make sure you don’t give it more than its capacity and limit. In the end, a daily dose of natural detergents will keep the plumber away. Feed the machine regularly with acid ground citrus peels to loosen any clogs and give off a good smell.
Conclusion
A clogged garbage disposal is the last thing you want, especially on an important day. But the news is that you don’t have to run out to call a plumber to fix it. Most clogs are easy to fix by any DIYer and will take less time if it’s a minor problem.
What you need to know, however, is that before taking any action, you must turn off the machine and wear gloves to keep your hands clean throughout the process. Also, please do not use chemicals in the device to avoid damaging the plastic part. Finally, while unclogging your garbage disposal may be a minor fix, you need to be careful how you use it to ensure proper maintenance and durability.
