How to Repair a Kitchen Garbage Disposal

Most modern homes have a garbage disposal installed on the kitchen sink to help ease cleanup around the kitchen. Over time, sludge and other contaminants can build up within the disposal so it won't work as efficiently. In most cases, you need to let trained professionals handle the repairs due to the sharp tools and other dangerous components of the disposal. There are, however, a few things you can do to repair the disposal if the cause is something minor like a sludge buildup.

Tongs
Ice pick
Ice
Rock salt
Measuring cup
Knife
Lemon

Instructions

- 1
  Drop ice cubes down the drain and disposal, using tongs or an ice pick, until the disposal is filled with ice. Add 1 cup of rock salt down the drain.
- 2
  Turn on the disposal and let it run for about five seconds; this is longer than you may think compared to how long you usually run the disposal. Let the disposal chop all this up, which subsequently clears the sludge.
- 3
  Run the disposal at least one minute later to see whether it runs properly.
- 4
  Cut a lemon into slices and place the slices within the disposal to remove any odor that remains from the sludge buildup.
- 5
  Run warm water down the drain with the lemon pieces in the disposal and turn on the disposal to chop up the lemon and freshen the drain/disposal.

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Garbage Disposal