Garbage Disposal Question

[mixsonci]

Can I use products such as Liquid Plumber in the sink with the garbage disposal? If it is slow draining or backing up into the side by side sink when I turned on the GD, is there anything simple I can do besides call a plumber?

Please don't suggest I try to take it apart by myself, I'm not going to do that.

[Neils]

Try blocking off the opposite sink drain with some type plug. Then fill the GD sink side with about a gallon or so of warm water.
Run the GP. The pressure it creates “might” clear the partial blockage.

Good luck

[retiredguy123]

Yes, you can use Liquid Plumber in the sink with a garbage disposal, but always read the label. I would also suggest filling the sink about two thirds full of hot water and then turning on the disposal to try to flush out a clog. You can also try a plunger with water in the sink. Be careful not to do anything that will cause the drain cleaner to splash out of the sink.

[John_W]

I've seen plumbers use toilet pluggers in sinks and bathrooms as well. On the sink if you have two drains, put the stopper in the other drain. The plumbers around here use this style, which I have and they work great, only $6 at Walmart. You might also take the allen wrench that came with your disposal and turn it a few times from the bottom in case it's slightly locked up.

Master Plunger with Air Release Valve - Walmart.com - Walmart.com (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Master-Plunger-with-Air-Release-Valve/17126955)

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/8cc638e3-2408-4b4b-b957-dc7da4f96ab1_1.290b2b1d38bd4d93ace02fc72caac9b3.jp eg?odnWidth=1000&odnHeight=1000&odnBg=ffffff

Allen wrench

https://static.grainger.com/rp/s/is/image/Grainger/54JF46_AW01?hei=536&wid=536&$adapimg$=

[mixsonci]

Thank you, I'll try these suggestions.

[bluedivergirl]

Mine was doing the same thing ~ I could hear the water trickling through. DH did take it apart and found a plug of eggshells, onion skins and peels. Now those items go in the trash, and it hasn't acted up since. Firm items seem to be fine, but flimsy trimmings cause problems.

[dhdallas]

Can I use products such as Liquid Plumber in the sink with the garbage disposal? If it is slow draining or backing up into the side by side sink when I turned on the GD, is there anything simple I can do besides call a plumber?

Please don't suggest I try to take it apart by myself, I'm not going to do that.

Trust me as a veteran of numerous kitchen sink plugs. Drano, Liquid Plumber, etc. only work at draining your wallet. They are absolutely worthless. I always had to use a snake so save your money, do NOT buy any liquid products, and call a handyman with a snake.

He may only have to pop the PVC tube off that connects the disposal to the main sink drain downtube. I am guessing your problem is right there, he won't need a snake and it should only take him no more than 15 minutes.

[MandoMan]

Mine was doing the same thing ~ I could hear the water trickling through. DH did take it apart and found a plug of eggshells, onion skins and peels. Now those items go in the trash, and it hasn't acted up since. Firm items seem to be fine, but flimsy trimmings cause problems.

For a couple years when I was in grad school I managed an apartment complex and had to repair dozens of garbage disposals. I actually kept a 2’ long sawn off broomstick beside the front door for turning disposals from the inside. (That can be easier than using a hex key from below.)

You are absolutely right about onion skins—the dry, papery stuff on the outside of onions that gave its name to the thin onion skin paper that used to be used for making carbon copies with carbon paper and manual typewriters. (Remember those?) They don’t easily soak up water, and they aren’t easily cut up by the blades, but the blades will force them down the pipe uncut, where they easily jam pipes. A few seconds of paying attention and putting the skins in the garbage can prevent an expensive call from a plumber.

[nick demis]

Drains are the most neglected part of a house. You should use a small amount of drain cleaner on a regular basis down all drains. A little bit of preventative maintenance can save a huge expense.

[RICH1]

It's the PTrap and you possibly have a clog in the pipe leading to your main drain pipe! The liquid plumber will not work and possibly shorten the life of your Garbage Disposal.. Good luck. You may need a real plumber to fix this

[tjlee500]

1. Coffee Grounds
Don't let coffee grounds fool you. Although they may appear to be finely milled, they're very densely packed and almost paste-like when you take them out of a filter. Put that down your garbage disposal and you'll end up with a pile up of gunky sediment in your drain, increasing the likelihood of a clog.

2. Pasta, Rice, and Bread
What do these three things have in common? They all absorb water and expand, which can easily lead to a clogged drain. Don't stress about a little bit of leftover spaghetti down the disposal, but don't make a habit of dumping pasta into the disposal either. If you do run pasta, rice, or bread down the disposal, run it for at least 30 seconds, and make sure to run cold water down the drain to flush the grains down without expanding them. The same goes for oats, and any other grain that will absorb water.

3. Animal Bones
Although it can be hard to accept, the garbage disposal is not indestructible. It's simply not built to grind up exceptionally hard items. Bones are one of the hardest naturally-occurring substances out there, and they can significantly shorten the lifespan of your disposal. Don't panic if you accidentally drop a small fish or chicken bone down the drain—a garbage disposal can handle that. But anything larger than that will simply spin around your disposal, and damage its grinding mechanisms.

4. Nuts and Shells
Similar to bones, nuts and shells (including seafood shells) can be very damaging to your garbage disposal. And softer nuts, such as peanuts, are still not a good idea for the disposal. You garbage disposal is not unlike a nut grinder, and know what you get when you grind and mash peanuts? Peanut butter. Well maybe not exactly the peanut butter you get in a jar, but a somewhat thick, peanut paste that can easily clog up your drain.

5. Pits and Seeds
If you can't cut it with a knife, it's safe to say putting it down the disposal is not a good idea. Pits and seeds are often round and small, making them even harder to grind up. Not to mention the terrible racket they make bouncing around your disposal. Save your disposal the trouble and throw them in the trash.

6. Onion Layers
While chopped onions can easily go down the disposal, it's the outermost layer you need to watch out for. The membrane that lies just beneath the dry skin can pass through the disposal, missing the blades grinder altogether or wrapping around it. It can even get wedged in the drain and act as a net, trapping other items in place with it.

7. Egg Shells
There's a commonly held misconception that egg shells can help to sharpen the "blades" of your garbage disposal. But the truth is, garbage disposal don't have blades. Rather, they have impellers that are more blunt than sharp. These impellers grind food waste down, rather than chopping it up like a blender. And anyways, when was the last time you used egg shells to sharpen your knives? Not only do egg shells not serve a purpose in sharpening the grinding mechanisms, but they also have membranes that can easily get wrapped around the grinder. This can create a whole host of problems for you appliance.

8. Fibrous or Stringy Fruits and Vegetables
Many fruits and veggies have fibrous strands that can tangle around your disposal's grinder. Here are a few items to throw in the trash instead of the disposal next time: celery, asparagus, banana peels, corn husks, and rhubarb. A few here and there won't hurt, but try to avoid it to preserve the quality of your appliance.

9. Potato Peels
When tossing potato peels down the disposal, one of two things can happen: 1) the peels may be thin enough to slip past the disposal, causing them to potentially catch in the drain or 2) they are ground up, and turn into a starchy paste in your disposal. If this paste makes its way into the pipes, you can have major blockages down the road. The same goes for other starchy vegetables and beans.

10. Grease, Oil, and Fat
The tricky thing about grease, oil, and fats is they may look like liquid now, but they don't stay that way for long. These materials will congeal with time, which can cause a major blockage in your drain. It's best to simply allow these substances to cool, and then dispose of them in trash.

11. Non-Food Materials
The name "garbage" disposal can be a little misleading. It does not mean you should treat your disposal like a garbage can. Any non-food items including paper towels, plastic wrappers, or tissues can be a big problem for your drainage system. Not to mention these items can spread through your drainage system and deposit into your local water supply. If something isn't biodegradable, it shouldn't go down the disposal.

[thevillages2013]

Can I use products such as Liquid Plumber in the sink with the garbage disposal? If it is slow draining or backing up into the side by side sink when I turned on the GD, is there anything simple I can do besides call a plumber?

Please don't suggest I try to take it apart by myself, I'm not going to do that.
The problem is more than likely that what you grind up is getting hung up in the p-trap that is under the sink but down the line from your disposal. Get a plunger but deflate the plunger so you are sucking the water back up. Do that action a few times and run the disposal between each action. I know you said you don’t want to work on it yourself but taking the p-trap off and cleaning it out is simple. It is the little U shaped piece under your sink. It screws on and off. If you do take it off get a big bowl to put underneath it to catch the water. The p-trap is where your problem is . It is there and under all your drains except toilets and has water in it at all times to keep sewer gas from coming back up your drains. By all means don’t run the dishwasher as it drains through the disposal

[JOG]

We don't put potatoe, banana peels or any peelings or egg shells but ours have stopped up from grease, I use blue liquid Dawn dish degerent, it break it up immediately, But like I said there are some things we just don't put in the disposal from past experirnce, Good luck

[Rsenholzi]

There is a product called blink made for this. You drop the pellet down and run it for a few seconds . Works great

[banjobob]

Put a stopper in one side fill the other with some water and use a Plummer’s friend sink plunger, worked for me.

[jbrown132]

Can I use products such as Liquid Plumber in the sink with the garbage disposal? If it is slow draining or backing up into the side by side sink when I turned on the GD, is there anything simple I can do besides call a plumber?

Please don't suggest I try to take it apart by myself, I'm not going to do that.

I had this problem once and the cause was a blocked trap. On matter what I did I could not clear it. Plunger, liquid plumber etc. Finally called a plumber and he took the trap apart and it was fine after that. He told me when using the disposal to put food down slowly wit a lot of running water especially with pasta as it will get stuck in the trap is you put to much down at one time.

[mpalazzola]

The builder used these weird pipes on my kitchen sink. The design has a restriction that causes the clog to form. On the disposal, 1st picture. And on the second sink second and third picture. Only changing to a true 1.5" drain pipe will solve this problem.

[kcwhel]

easy trick- run a couple handfuls of ice cubes through the disposer

[retiredguy123]

Never understood the need for a garbage disposal. I don't put anything into it. I just put everything in the trash.

[Shutterbug]

Can I use products such as Liquid Plumber in the sink with the garbage disposal? If it is slow draining or backing up into the side by side sink when I turned on the GD, is there anything simple I can do besides call a plumber?

Please don't suggest I try to take it apart by myself, I'm not going to do that.

Try a wet-dry vac in opposite sink. It will suck up what is in the trap and the disposal drain. Put baking soda and white vinegar down the disposal drain let it sit for a while and run warm water. Also, turn on the disposal, run warm water and fill the disposal with ice cubes. This will clean stuck on gunk on the blades.

[ellenwelsh]

Rinse your dishes well before putting them in the dishwasher.

[joelfmi]

Go into Home depot or Lowe's they have chemicals that can be used to restore your disposal unit and clean the drain it is call degreaser or citrissolve that cleanse the unit for drain as the last person recommend take the trap off and snake the drain. This recommendation comes from master trade specialist retired.

[nhlinda]

Can I use products such as Liquid Plumber in the sink with the garbage disposal? If it is slow draining or backing up into the side by side sink when I turned on the GD, is there anything simple I can do besides call a plumber?

Please don't suggest I try to take it apart by myself, I'm not going to do that.
When my garbage disposal got clogged, I poured baking soda and vinegar into the sink. Worked great! Created a mini-volcano in the sink and cleared everything out.

[Cenrico]

Recently my kitchen sink was plugged up. I did all the usual things used a church key etc. and even called the plumber. I then remembered how useful white vinegar is so I poured down the drain a lot of white vinegar and I also added baking soda it bubbled up like a science project and the drain was unclogged.
Needless to say I quickly cancelled the plumber.

[OhioBuckeye]

Can I use products such as Liquid Plumber in the sink with the garbage disposal? If it is slow draining or backing up into the side by side sink when I turned on the GD, is there anything simple I can do besides call a plumber?

Please don't suggest I try to take it apart by myself, I'm not going to do that.

Take the TRAP off first & check that first!

[G.R.I.T.S.]

Can I use products such as Liquid Plumber in the sink with the garbage disposal? If it is slow draining or backing up into the side by side sink when I turned on the GD, is there anything simple I can do besides call a plumber?

Please don't suggest I try to take it apart by myself, I'm not going to do that.

1. Google the manufacturer's manual for the disposal to find acceptable products. Liquid Plumber may not be recommended.

Since you don't seem to be inclined to do plumbing work, I recommend:

2. Dunstan and Sons Plumbing. Reasonable and dependable.

I replaced a disposal. Cumbersome but not difficult and definitely not rocket science.

[Red Rose]

Do not put pasta in the GB at anytime whatsoever. That stuff gums up like glue.

[tjboxer79]

Baking soda and ice cubes with hot water.

[Lenore1752]

NO! Please look on the bottle as yrs ago I was going to do that snd very happy I read the bottle. When you turn the disposal on again it will shoot out a little and could be hazardous to you

[retiredguy123]

NO! Please look on the bottle as yrs ago I was going to do that snd very happy I read the bottle. When you turn the disposal on again it will shoot out a little and could be hazardous to you
I agree with reading the bottle. But, the " Liquid-Plumr" website says the following:

CAN I USE THIS LIQUID-PLUMR® PRODUCT IN MY GARBAGE DISPOSAL?
Yes. This product is specifically designed for use in your garbage disposal. It is designed to clean the disposal and drain with the assistance of the agitation from the disposal, similar to how a washing machine works. Although it will not damage a sink without a disposal, it will not clean a sink without a disposal effectively.

[cherylncliff]

Mine was doing the same thing ~ I could hear the water trickling through. DH did take it apart and found a plug of eggshells, onion skins and peels. Now those items go in the trash, and it hasn't acted up since. Firm items seem to be fine, but flimsy trimmings cause problems.

Liquid plumber and related products work by getting hot when mixed with water and softening greasy plugs like occur in a bathroom sink. It is not likely to work in a kitchen drain that probably is plugged with stuff like eggshells, potato skins or carrot peels. The plunger method might work. You can try liquid plumber but it may corrode the metal parts of the disposer so do not let it sit too long. The best way is to take the pipes apart and clean out the plug. Then, do not put carrot peels, eggshells or potato peels down the disposer.

[maama]

A plumber once told me to do this monthly in sinks and drains:

Flush sink with hot water and then add (OVER SINK) baking soda to about 32 oz of white vinegar. It creates a volcano! Leave for about 20 minutes and run hot water. I did it in my garbage disposal as well .. had to do it twice, but it did work.
Good luck

[kp11364]

Using Dawn on a regular basis is one of the best preventative measures around. For shower drains, use about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of Dawn straight out of the bottle, pour in and let it sit about 2-3 hours, then pour in a pot of boiling water. For drains that have a trap, mix 3/4 to 1 cup Dawn with enough hot water to have the mix pass the trap and again wait 2-3 hours and follow up with boiling water.

[Hackercraft]

Ice cubes will clean the disposal, it’s noisy but it works. Dump the cube maker bin into the disposal side, turn on the cold water and let her rip.

[pgettinger01]

You can use a combination of baking soda and vinegar. It is less expensive and less harmful to you and your drain.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

1. Coffee Grounds
Don't let coffee grounds fool you. Although they may appear to be finely milled, they're very densely packed and almost paste-like when you take them out of a filter. Put that down your garbage disposal and you'll end up with a pile up of gunky sediment in your drain, increasing the likelihood of a clog.

2. Pasta, Rice, and Bread
What do these three things have in common? They all absorb water and expand, which can easily lead to a clogged drain. Don't stress about a little bit of leftover spaghetti down the disposal, but don't make a habit of dumping pasta into the disposal either. If you do run pasta, rice, or bread down the disposal, run it for at least 30 seconds, and make sure to run cold water down the drain to flush the grains down without expanding them. The same goes for oats, and any other grain that will absorb water.

3. Animal Bones
Although it can be hard to accept, the garbage disposal is not indestructible. It's simply not built to grind up exceptionally hard items. Bones are one of the hardest naturally-occurring substances out there, and they can significantly shorten the lifespan of your disposal. Don't panic if you accidentally drop a small fish or chicken bone down the drain—a garbage disposal can handle that. But anything larger than that will simply spin around your disposal, and damage its grinding mechanisms.

4. Nuts and Shells
Similar to bones, nuts and shells (including seafood shells) can be very damaging to your garbage disposal. And softer nuts, such as peanuts, are still not a good idea for the disposal. You garbage disposal is not unlike a nut grinder, and know what you get when you grind and mash peanuts? Peanut butter. Well maybe not exactly the peanut butter you get in a jar, but a somewhat thick, peanut paste that can easily clog up your drain.

5. Pits and Seeds
If you can't cut it with a knife, it's safe to say putting it down the disposal is not a good idea. Pits and seeds are often round and small, making them even harder to grind up. Not to mention the terrible racket they make bouncing around your disposal. Save your disposal the trouble and throw them in the trash.

6. Onion Layers
While chopped onions can easily go down the disposal, it's the outermost layer you need to watch out for. The membrane that lies just beneath the dry skin can pass through the disposal, missing the blades grinder altogether or wrapping around it. It can even get wedged in the drain and act as a net, trapping other items in place with it.

7. Egg Shells
There's a commonly held misconception that egg shells can help to sharpen the "blades" of your garbage disposal. But the truth is, garbage disposal don't have blades. Rather, they have impellers that are more blunt than sharp. These impellers grind food waste down, rather than chopping it up like a blender. And anyways, when was the last time you used egg shells to sharpen your knives? Not only do egg shells not serve a purpose in sharpening the grinding mechanisms, but they also have membranes that can easily get wrapped around the grinder. This can create a whole host of problems for you appliance.

8. Fibrous or Stringy Fruits and Vegetables
Many fruits and veggies have fibrous strands that can tangle around your disposal's grinder. Here are a few items to throw in the trash instead of the disposal next time: celery, asparagus, banana peels, corn husks, and rhubarb. A few here and there won't hurt, but try to avoid it to preserve the quality of your appliance.

9. Potato Peels
When tossing potato peels down the disposal, one of two things can happen: 1) the peels may be thin enough to slip past the disposal, causing them to potentially catch in the drain or 2) they are ground up, and turn into a starchy paste in your disposal. If this paste makes its way into the pipes, you can have major blockages down the road. The same goes for other starchy vegetables and beans.

10. Grease, Oil, and Fat
The tricky thing about grease, oil, and fats is they may look like liquid now, but they don't stay that way for long. These materials will congeal with time, which can cause a major blockage in your drain. It's best to simply allow these substances to cool, and then dispose of them in trash.

11. Non-Food Materials
The name "garbage" disposal can be a little misleading. It does not mean you should treat your disposal like a garbage can. Any non-food items including paper towels, plastic wrappers, or tissues can be a big problem for your drainage system. Not to mention these items can spread through your drainage system and deposit into your local water supply. If something isn't biodegradable, it shouldn't go down the disposal.

Reading this makes me think that there's no point in having a garbage disposal.

I have to plunge mine every once in a while. I do have to block the other sink drain when I do. The strainer that comes with most sinks works fine for that.

I was told by a plumber that some sort of regulation was passed a few years ago mandating that some sort of blocking device be placed in one of the drain pipes that causes the garbage disposal to clog up every once in a while. I took my drain pipes apart and tried replacing this little section of pipe with one that doesn't have the blocking thingy but I couldn't find a section of PVC that didn't have it.

Keep a plunger under the sink.

It's also a good idea to have one of these https://www.acehardware.com/departments/plumbing/plumbing-tools/plumbing-wrenches/47992 handy. Sometimes, all it takes is a few turns with it.

[OhioBuckeye]

Do not put pasta in the GB at anytime whatsoever. That stuff gums up like glue.

That's why I said take Trap off first & check it, that's what they were put on sinks for to catch things!

[Henryk]

Try a wet-dry vac in opposite sink. It will suck up what is in the trap and the disposal drain. Put baking soda and white vinegar down the disposal drain let it sit for a while and run warm water. Also, turn on the disposal, run warm water and fill the disposal with ice cubes. This will clean stuck on gunk on the blades.

i don't recommend filling the disposal with ice cubes. They could crack the housing.

[Kenswing]

That's why I said take Trap off first & check it, that's what they were put on sinks for to catch things!

Actually the trap holds water to act as a barrier to sewer gases. If there wasn't a trap your house would smell really bad.

[rjm1cc]

To clean out the drain pipe between disposal and other sink fill the disposal with ice cubes. Run disposal with a little water. You are trying to make slush and this should fill the pipe and push through any blockage. If it starts to come up the other sink ok. Then run hot water to finish melting and flush system.

Using a garden hose to get extra water to the drain may also work. Put the end of the hose on the sink drain as you are trying to use the pressure of the water as well as the quantity of water.

The pipe can also be easily removed. Take a look at YouTube for suggestions.

[Ann Marie Acacio]

I've had success with putting a cup of baking soda into the disposal, on top of the standing water, then pouring about 2 cups vinegar. It will foam up. Let it sit for about 30 minutes, then run the disposal and flush with water. It breaks up the clog and has worked for me several times.

[NancyLee]

Mine was doing the same thing ~ I could hear the water trickling through. DH did take it apart and found a plug of eggshells, onion skins and peels. Now those items go in the trash, and it hasn't acted up since. Firm items seem to be fine, but flimsy trimmings cause problems.
I understand that onion skins are notorious for clogging up the sink disposal. I have heard that Plumbers always have a lot of business around Thanksgiving.