# Unjamming a Garbage Disposal **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 7, 2007, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086 "2007-01-07T22:33:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/1 "2007-01-07T22:33:18Z")
Apparently, the garbage disposal under my sink has become jammed. I hardly ever use the thing and today when I was running the dishwasher, water backed up into the sink. I tried sticking an Allen wrench into the hole on the underside of the thing and twisting, which usually frees it up, and a I darn near twisted it off the pipes, so that’s out. Is there any other way I can free the thing up without removing it from the sink? 'Cos I’d really hate to have to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/2 "2007-01-07T22:38:10Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] Apparently, the garbage disposal under my sink has become jammed. I hardly ever use the thing and today when I was running the dishwasher, water backed up into the sink. I tried sticking an Allen wrench into the hole on the underside of the thing and twisting, which usually frees it up, and a I darn near twisted it off the pipes, so that’s out. Is there any other way I can free the thing up without removing it from the sink? 'Cos I’d really hate to have to do that. [/QUOTE] Can you get to the impellers inside it? A plumber friend of mine unstuck one by pouring a heavy duty de-greaser into the sink, letting is sit for a day, and physically manipulating the impellers, on the theory that they had rusted from disuse. It worked for him. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/3 "2007-01-07T23:03:17Z")
I’ve had luck with a half a broomstick. Stuck it in, kinda wedged it against the lip of the drain while turning. causing the blades to move. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/4 "2007-01-08T00:16:52Z")
Rule 1. Unplug the thing first. Don’t depend upon just turning off the switch. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/5 "2007-01-08T00:18:04Z")
I’ve also used a large flat-tipped screwdriver to _gently_ pry against the thing. But if the allen wrench didn’t work, you may need a new one. They’re not all that expensive and can be easily installed. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/6 "2007-01-08T00:27:18Z")
I have also used something like a broomstick (a strong one) to attack it from the top. If you can sort of pry it and get it to move, you should be good to go. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/7 "2007-01-08T00:30:58Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] Rule 1. Unplug the thing first. Don’t depend upon just turning off the switch. [/QUOTE] Well.. you can’t - at least around here the codes don’t allow that. There is an under-sink switch, and a fuse. That should be turned off, and the fuse removed, I agree. If the allen-wrench doesn’t work - there must be something pretty substantial blocking the unit. Try and shine a flashlight down and look - and make another decision from there. Don’t forget to reset the circuit breaker on the unit too - often a red button on the underside of the unit itself. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/8 "2007-01-08T00:46:43Z")
Another idea would be to try to remove the drain pipe from the disposal and see if there s anything blocking that pipe. Once, after several days of corn on the cob, I had to remove the drain pipe and pull out several corn husks (disposals don’t do well on corn husks, by te way). If you shine a flashlight in there, does it look completely rusted, or does it look only mostly rusted? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/9 "2007-01-08T01:23:02Z")
I haven’t seen anything that would indicate it’s rusty. Try attacking from the topside with a stout stick. I’m telling you… ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/10 "2007-01-08T01:30:37Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] Try attacking from the topside with a stout stick. [/QUOTE] That’s how I deal with unreasonable creditors. Sound advice for most of life’s problems. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/11 "2007-01-08T02:29:47Z")
This isn’t what you want to hear, but if you can’t free things with the hex key, it’s time to pull the mechanism out, flush the discharge fitting, and generally try to make it cough out whatever is stuck in it’s throat. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/12 "2007-01-08T02:47:23Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] That’s how I deal with unreasonable creditors. Sound advice for most of life’s problems. [/QUOTE] yeah, that does wonders for dirty glassware. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/13 "2007-01-08T13:22:02Z")
I third the broomstick idea. I’ve only had mine jam a couple times in my life, but both times the broomstick worked. I got the idea from my Dad, who, after 5 kids and numerous grandkids, has a lot of experience in un-jamming disposals. I’ll never forget the time I tried to put a Popsicle stick down the disposal… ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unjamming-a-garbage-disposal/387086/14 "2007-01-08T14:57:18Z")
Broomstick is good. A hammer is better. Stick it in backwards. The metal head is easy to hold and you can put more pressure on it than you can with broomstick.