How To Unclog Garbage Disposal Drain

If the moment comes that you have to wonder how to unclog a garbage disposal drain, that means a serious problem is on your hands. This can come very suddenly depending on how one actually treats the kitchen appliance since many people actually abuse it by throwing all sorts of rubbish into it without first thinking how to ensure its longevity. Yes that may be something of a contradiction since you basically use a garbage disposal to get rid of your rubbish but that is where most people actually think that it should be so heavy duty as to be unbreakable. Instead, while you can basically throw everything through it (food waste of course), and the disposals are often able to get rid of the waste through grinding, the nature of some of these grinded waste can often cause clogs further down the drains. Unlike how you can unclog a sink, doing the same for a clogged garbage disposal requires much more effort and might even require plumbing services if you are unable to successfully do so.

As mentioned, it boils down to what kind of food waste or other rubbish that has been thrown into and then grinded down by the garbage disposal unit. Just like sinks, there is a tendency for the waste to get stuck along the waste line and this can all build up over time. If the accumulation is large enough to block movement of waste, naturally you get clogging. Think of the whole structure like a giant sink of sorts where you are basically using the sink to wash away all your rubbish. What is part of the smaller process then? Do not forget that the rubbish you throw down the disposal are most solid based substances, or at least in a container of some sort. Trust me they will get stuck somewhere down the drain pipes unless you simulate a sink by running or flushing some water down together with it. That will help to push things through and perhaps loosen anything that might also be clogging the disposal unit further on down the trap. Do not try to pour oil based liquids or lubricants as a substitute for water. They may end up not just causing some discoloration but possibly causing the garbage disposal clogging problem to worsen.

The best way to unclog the garbage disposal is simply to use water to try to force the sticking point through. This might take some effort and certainly an unpredictable amount of time. It is hard to determine what and how badly clogged the pipes are below, especially since the waste buildup would have taken place over time. If you have thrown a lot of rubbish containing food bits like egg shells, powdery substances and fruit peels without properly bagging them up, then expect them to be caught in the pipes even if water has been consistently used to flush the disposal. It is tough to try to fix things when little effort is made to prevent them occuring in the first place. So practise prevention and make sure to use trash bags whenever possible.

If the water method does not work, then it could be time to call in the plumber. Unless you are familiar with the internal piping structure including the drain trap or the downstream pipes, it might be more feasible to get specialised help for the clogged garbage disposal. True, some money might have to be spent, but at least further damage can be prevented due to unfamiliarity. Also, once that is out of way, make sure to treat your disposal unit well and not push it too far.

There are also liquid chemicals that profess to help solve clogged garbage disposals. Many users have reported online that these work as well but again, using chemicals would have to be done with extra care and caution. Since there have been positive reviews, they probably help in some situations and might be worth a try.