Try These Easy Tips To Sharpen Your Garbage Disposal Blades To Keep Them In Shape

If your garbage disposal is not breaking down food scraps as well as it used to, your blades might be dull. In order to solve this problem, there are a few things you should know. The blades in your garbage disposal are actually teeth-shaped components that grind your food into bits so that it can make its way down your drain. When they become dull, this is due to stuck-on food scraps. To remove this residue and get your garbage disposal working properly again, plug your sink with a stopper and fill it with warm, soapy water. Remove the stopper, turn on your garbage disposal, and allow the water to work its way through the drain. You can also allow salt, ice, and cold water to run down the sink instead.

This will clean that gunk off of your blades so that they are no longer dull. Your garbage disposal should be running smoothly after you use either of these methods. However, if it still does not work properly, it might be time to call a plumber. You may be dealing with a more complex issue, such as an electrical problem, a clogged drain, or overheating. These complications typically require a professional garbage disposal repair. To protect your safety when completing any DIY garbage disposal maintenance, never place your hand down the drain.

After filling your sink with warm, soapy water, removing the stopper, and turning on your garbage disposal, turn your faucet on and run cold water down the drain for a few minutes. This will ensure any remaining food scraps make it all the way down the drain. You may have heard that pouring ice cubes down your sink is one of the best ways to clean your garbage disposal as well. Ice can help remove gunk stuck to the blades, too. If you would like to take action on this tip, you will need to start out by pouring two cups of ice into your sink. Next, add in 1 cup of rock salt and turn on your faucet. Make sure it is set to cold, and allow it to run until all of the ice has made its way down. As your garbage disposal breaks up the ice, it should knock built-up food debris right off of the blades.

Although these two methods will help you fix dull blades, it is important to prevent food from building up on these components in the first place. There are a few foods you should avoid placing into your garbage disposal to prevent damage. This includes fibrous vegetables, greases, eggshells, and bones. Lastly, break up your food before scraping it into your disposal.