How to Clean a Garbage Disposal (and Fix One That Won't Work)

Turn it off at the switch, wait a few minutes for the motor to cool, then press the small red reset button on the bottom of the unit until it clicks. Turn the water and the switch back on. If it still won't run, look at the breaker status and call us.

Something may be jamming it, or the motor may be stuck. Disconnect the power first. Then put a 1/4-inch hex key in the socket in the center of the bottom of the unit and work it back and forth until it turns freely. Remove any object with tongs, never your hand, then press reset and try again.

Food stuck under the rubber splash guard causes most of the smell. Scrub the guard with a brush and dish soap, grind ice and salt, then baking soda and vinegar, and finish with lemon or orange peels. Running cold water for 15 to 30 seconds after each use keeps the smell from coming back.

Grease and cooking oil, coffee grounds, pasta, rice, potato peels, fibrous food like celery and corn husks, bones, fruit pits, and anything that isn't food. These either jam the blades or build up in the drain pipe.

Many disposals last somewhere around 8 to 15 years, but it varies with the model and how hard they're used. If yours leaks from the body, trips its reset button often or is noisy and slow, replacing it is usually the better choice.