How to Get Broken Glass Out of a Garbage Disposal

Your kitchen is filled with gadgets and appliances. Some may be used rarely, if at all, while others experience frequent use. One appliance often found in kitchens is a garbage disposal. Garbage disposals are used to discard food waste safely without clogging your drain. However, if you drop a glass or dish in or near your garbage disposal, you might find that the broken glass clogs your disposal, making it impossible to discard your food waste. To repair this problem, you must get the broken glass out of your garbage disposal.

1/4-inch Allen wrench
Broom handle or hammer
Vacuum cleaner

Instructions

- 1
  Locate the port of your garbage disposal. Not all disposals have a port, but if yours does, it will be located at the bottom, center of the disposal underneath your sink.
- 2
  Insert a 1/4-inch Allen wrench into the port, and turn the wrench back and forth. This will move the masher plate slightly, which should dislodge any large pieces of broken glass.
- 3
  Place a broom handle or hammer into your garbage disposal's top opening if you can't find a port. You can move the masher this way and possibly dislodge the broken glass.
- 4
  Remove any loose pieces of glass from your sink carefully. Use your vacuum cleaner hose attachment to remove any additional pieces of glass that are too small to pick up. Avoid turning on your garbage disposal in an attempt to smash up the pieces of broken glass. This can damage your garbage disposal. Instead, remove all the pieces manually or with your vacuum cleaner.
- 5
  Check the reset button on your garbage disposal. It will be located near the bottom and is usually red. Cleaning out the glass may have caused the button to pop out. Press it back in if this is the case.

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