Although garbage disposal is efficient in grinding many things, grinding large pieces of broken is not advisable. It is common for dishware and glass to break accidentally. However, when glass and other broken shards make their way into the garbage disposal of your sink, do not despair. Removing broken glass from garbage disposal is a daunting task, but you can do it yourself. These are the steps you should follow:
1. Cut the power
Before you start the process of removing broken glass, turn off the power supplied to your garbage disposal. However, to be safe, cut the power at the breaker box. Turning off the power is crucial because you are sure that the power cannot be turned on accidentally while working on your garbage disposal.
2. Remove large glass pieces
When broken glass pieces fall in the sink, larger pieces remain at the top while smaller pieces are harder to find or see. You should never stick your hand/hands in the garbage disposal, trying to remove the glass pieces! It is not only risky but also careless because you can sustain serious injuries. Instead of sticking your hand in the garbage disposal, use a needle nose plier o pull out large glass pieces. The needle nose pliers make it easy to pull broken pieces, although it is time-consuming and tiring at times.
Remember, if you try to grind large glass pieces, you will end up jamming your disposal, making it harder to remove the glass pieces. If you do not have needle pliers, you can use kitchen tongs to grasp glass pieces and dispose of them in a safe place. Alternatively, look for a raw potato that will fit through the garbage disposal’s opening. Then, use the raw potato to embed broken glass pieces
3. Vacuuming
Since you will not remove all large glass pieces, use a shop vacuum to suck the remaining portions. If you cannot reach the glass pieces, use a flexible tubing or a polyethylene tubing (PEX) to create a temporary hose. Use the suction power of the shop vacuum to suck the glass pieces. Remember, if the hose/nozzle is not wide enough, you may have to suck the pieces one by one.
4. Use the hex key to turn the blades
The bottom of your garbage disposal has a hex key, which you can use to turn the blades manually. Use the shop vacuum again to suck the dislodged particles. If your unit does not have a hex key, you can use a broomstick to turn the blades manually. You are required to manually turn the blade until you do not hear any glass sounds. Vacuum repeatedly until you no longer suck glass pieces.
5. Power on
Upon removing all broken glass pieces, power the garbage disposal, and then run the tap to remove the remaining smaller glass pieces. The garbage disposal should run normally. If your garbage disposal fails to turn, reset it. To reset your garbage disposal, cut the power, locate the reset button (on the bottom of the unit) and push it. After resetting, turn your garbage disposal on again to see if it is working efficiently. Finally, if you experience any issues, consider seeking help from a professional.