Yes you heard me right! I don’t need to call in a plumber to unclog my jammed disposal any more. Jammed Disposal is a common problem as garbage disposal is just the place to get rid of all food based waste, from leftovers of plates and soups to potato skins and corn; everything goes directly into that dark hole. And to top it all, a wine or coffee over this can make a big mess leading to an inevitable and awful blockage. This used to happen quite often with me but not anymore!
Because now with the secret tips, that I am about to reveal, I can easily fix a jammed disposal and save money as well as time!
“Precaution is better than cure” I know you must have heard this line a thousand times before and it makes little sense here. But let me tell you that this is the primary tip which can save your $70 tip to a plumber every time you have drain blockage.
Although garbage disposals are best to eliminate unwanted food waste and stinky garbage cans. But there are several things that can easily damage the disposal and can cause a jam. So it is better to avoid those things from going down the drain. I call them the No-No things.
The list of these No-No things include Non-food Items such as metal, glass, plastic and even paper that can cause a great damage to your disposal. Next is the fibrous food which includes celery stalks, corn husks, stringy squash and onion skins that can wrap itself around the disposal blade causing a clog. Also avoid foods like pasta, rice, large animal bones, egg and potato peels which hinder the blade to work properly.
Even after these precaution if you get a jam, then unplug the disposal and wait until water drain down also remove any of clog that you can reach by hands. Next, pour a cup of baking soda and half cup of vinegar then place the stopper to cover the drain. Leave it standing for some time for chemical reaction to take place. This is an easy way to clean the debris down in the dark abyss and will surely help to dissolve the jam.
After half an hour flush hot water down the disposal and clean the skin. Then turn on the power, your disposal will run normally.
PS: if the disposal doesn’t work properly even after following the above mentioned steps turn the power off and use a wrench to unclog the jammed disposal. That will surely work.