Glass has accidentally entered your garbage disposal, causing a frustrating situation in the kitchen. Dealing with glass in such a device is not only inconvenient but also potentially dangerous. So, what steps can you take to safely remove the glass from your garbage disposal? Here are some tips:
Prioritize Safety Before attempting to remove the glass, ensure safety measures are in place. Firstly, turn off the power to the disposal to prevent accidents. Never reach into the disposal, even with the power off, as this could result in injury.
Methods for Glass Removal from the Garbage Disposal Needle Nose Pliers After turning off the power, use needle-nose pliers to carefully extract larger pieces of glass. While this method may not remove all glass fragments, it can help clear away significant debris.
The Potato Method Surprisingly, using a large, raw potato can aid in glass removal. Cut the bottom off a potato that fits into the disposal opening and push it onto the disposal’s surface. The potato’s entry force will embed some glass pieces into it. Repeat this process with additional potatoes until larger glass pieces are removed.
Vacuuming Consider using a shop vac to suck up remaining glass shards. Ensure the vacuum hose fits into the disposal and reaches far enough. If necessary, attach a thinner hose or PEX tubing to the shop vac hose using duct tape for better access.
Allen Wrench (if needed) Once most of the glass is removed, restore power to the disposal and test it. If tiny glass fragments remain, they should be ground up during operation. However, if larger pieces obstruct the blades, turn off the power again and use an Allen wrench to manually loosen the blades from the exterior bottom of the disposal.
Back in Operation After successfully removing the glass from the disposal, you should be able to resume normal use. If issues persist and the disposal fails to function properly, consider seeking assistance from a local plumber.