on Oct 5th, 2009The garbage disposer
Use your garbage disposer correctly to keep it working well. Always flush with cold water, even when there’s grease. It enables you to flush the grease completely. Leave the water running 15—30 seconds after you turn the disposer off. Keep metal implements soft- drink tabs, wire bread fasteners, and tea-bag staples out of your disposer; they jam the motor. Chop large pieces of garbage down to size before putting them into the disposer. Do not overfill. Deodorize the drain every week or so with a lemon or two, or use a commercial deodorizer. Baking soda overnight helps too. When your disposer doesn’t run, turn it off. With metal ice tongs, if you have them, remove garbage from the hopper. Certainly make sure no one can turn on the disposer while your hand is in the hopper. With garbage out, turn on the switch and look under the sink for a reset button, usually in the bottom center of the disposal unit. Press it three or four times.
If the disposer still doesn’t start, turn off the main switch. Insert the wooden handle of a plunger, broom, or mop through the mouth of the disposer. Force the blades to move counterclockwise. One or two full turns backward usually dislodges whatever might be jamming the blades. Withdraw the plunger handle. Look in the hopper for the loosened bone or glop and extract it. Turn on the cold water, and then the disposer. Press the reset button again if necessary. If your disposer still doesn’t start, call a technician.