How To Install and Maintain Your Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposal installation and maintenance can be a real pain, and sometimes a daunting task. It doesn't have to be with the team at Appliance Educator at your side! In our newest blog, we are going to go over step by step how to install a garbage disposal, and how to unclog one. Read on for more!

To get started, you will need a drill with the correct bit, a drill with a Phillips head, some pliers, and plumbers putty. The first step is to take apart the p-trap and pull the drain out. You can see this demonstrated in our video here. It is a good idea to have a bucket around so that any residual water in the p-trap is disposed of carefully. The next step is to pull out the old drain. You can easily unthread the nut from the drain, pull it out, remove the old plumbers putty and drain. From here, you can replace it with the new plumbers putty and drain. Next, hang the new garbage disposal and hook up the dishwasher line, then reattach the p-trap.

Measuring out where you want to put your button is fairly simple, and easy to do on your own. Mark your center, then you can easily drill the button into your countertop. Then simply plug it in below your sink and connect it to the disposal.

Inevitably, at some point after installation, your garbage disposal is going to get clogged. When you’re unclogging your dishwasher, you will want to make sure that every electrical connection is off to avoid getting hurt. Make sure it is either unplugged from under the cabinet, or that the power breaker is switched off. We like to make sure to do both to ensure all safety measures are in place. Next, grab tweezers, tongs, or a similar tool to see if you are able to pull something out. It is never a good idea to stick your hands in there, whether the disposal is off or not. This is just to ensure your safety. We like to compare it to a blender, you would not stick your hand in the blender whether it is off or not, so the same should go for the garbage disposal.

After removing everything, it is important to take out a flashlight and check to make sure everything was removed from the garbage disposal. Then, turn the garbage disposal on and run the water. If everything sounds like it is working properly, you can stop here. If it still sounds off or the water will not go through it, we would then move on to the next step.

The next step of the process is to take a plunger as you would use in your bathroom and plunge your sink. If this does not work, there is one final step before calling for professional help. Mixing baking soda and vinegar can cause a chemical reaction to help you unclog your sink. This is also better than harsh chemical use such as draino and is less likely to cause damage. Rinse it out after 10 minutes to remove any remaining debris.