Common Issues with Garbage Disposal
Please note you should never put food, bones or anything else down the garbage disposal. Plates, pots, pans and utensils should be cleaned thoroughly of food before being placed in the sink and rinsed.
If you are experiencing issues with your garbage disposal there are a few different things you can try.
| Problem | Possible Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Garbage disposal doesn't turn on | Power source issue | Check if the disposal is plugged in and if the circuit breaker is tripped. Reset the breaker or replace the fuse if necessary. |
| Overloaded motor | Press the reset button on the bottom of the disposal unit. Wait for a few minutes to let the motor cool down and try again. | |
| Garbage disposal makes humming noise but doesn't grind | Jammed disposal blades | Turn off the power source and use a hex wrench to manually rotate the disposal blades to remove any obstacles. |
| Garbage disposal smells bad | Food particles stuck in the disposal | Mix a cup of baking soda with a cup of vinegar and pour it down the disposal or purchase a specialized cleaning product. |
| Buildup of bacteria and mold | Pour a solution of bleach and water down the disposal, and let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing it off with cold water. | |
| Garbage disposal leaks | Broken Unit | Contact Us |
- Power source issue:
Check if the garbage disposal is plugged in and if the circuit breaker is tripped. Reset the breaker or replace the fuse if necessary.
Alternatively it could be a GFCI in the bathroom or kitchen. Ensure your GFCI plugs are not in a reset mode. Please make sure you have pressed Reset on all these plugs if they are present in the kitchen/bathroom. If they will not reset or display red then the iussue is wqith the outlet and we will need to replace it.
GFCI Plugs look like below:GFCI Outlet
- Overloaded motor: press the reset button on the bottom of the disposal unit. Wait for a few minutes to let the motor cool down and try again.
- Jammed disposal blades: turn off the power source and use a hex wrench to manually rotate the disposal blades to remove any obstacles.
- Mix a cup of baking soda with a cup of vinegar and pour it down the disposal or purchase a product like the one below.
- Buildup of bacteria and mold: pour a solution of bleach and water down the disposal, and let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing it off with cold water.