How to Clear Potato Peelings Out of a Garbage Disposal

While most small food scraps can be put through a garbage disposal, some foods are notorious for causing clogs. Potato peelings are one of these foods. When the potatoes are ground up and mixed with water, starch develops and causes a thick clog in the garbage disposal. Follow a few basic steps to successfully remove the clog.

Things You'll Need

• Flashlight
• Allen wrench
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup baking soda

Instructions

1. Locate the reset button on the bottom of your garbage disposal unit. Use a flashlight to help you see if the area is dark.

2. Turn the "Reset" switch off and wait 10 seconds. Turn the switch back on and run water in your sink. Flip the switch to your garbage disposal to see if it works properly; occasionally a clog causes the motor to get jammed and requires you to reset the motor.

3. 

   An allen wrench is an L-shaped wrench.

   Shut off the circuit breaker to eliminate power to the disposal. Insert an allen wrench in the hole in the center of the bottom of the garbage disposal unit. Turn the wrench counterclockwise to the point where you feel the disposal resisting.

4. Turn the allen wrench counterclockwise, one turn at a time, until you feel no more resistance.

5. Run the water in your sink to wash away the clog. Clean out any remaining starch in the garbage disposal by pouring 1 cup each of white vinegar and baking soda into the garbage disposal. Allow the mixture to sit in the unit for 20 minutes before rinsing away.

Tips & Warnings

• With the power to your garbage disposal off, you can try pushing the handle end of a wooden spoon into the garbage disposal to manually move around the grinder and remove the clog.

• Try using a long-handled fork, such as those used for grilling, to remove potato peelings from the garbage disposal.

References

• Basic Plumbing Repair; "Sometimes Even the Best Disposals Clog Up, What Do You Do?"; Bryan Stevens; February, 2011
• YouTube: How to Unclog a Garbage Disposal