Garbage disposals are not meant to be used as a trash can, and there is a list of foods that you should avoid putting in them. Some of the top items include rice, cooked pasta, egg shells, celery, any kind of animal bones, onion peels, potato skins, grease or oils, nuts, seeds, pits, and coffee grounds. If there is a clanking or odd sound coming from your disposal, it means that something has wound up in there that should not be. I spent about 45 minutes one holiday removing a shattered shot glass from a disposal, the sound was awful and the glass shards were sharp! Contrary to belief though, the “blades” of the disposal are not sharp to the touch. With the disposal powered off (via the switch and/or unplugged) and a pair of rubber gloves, you can reach into the disposal to remove the object. If you happen to clog your disposal, it will sound like the motor is trying to run, but only hums. In this instance, you can use your Allen wrench in picture 1 to manually rotate the blades to dislodge the item. The Allen wrench will fit into the hole right in the middle of the bottom of the disposal and then just rotate it back and forth to manually move the blades as in picture 2. After this, push the small red reset button shown in picture 3. If you do not have an Allen wrench for your disposal, you can purchase one at a hardware store in the plumbing section very inexpensively. To keep your disposal running well, put a cupful of ice cubes down it while running a small stream of water once a month and turn it on. The ice will help break up any small lodged food particles or gunk on the blades. Let me know if you have ever had an item clog the disposal that surprised you! Keep following for more ways to view your home with a fresh perspective!
