Complete DIY Guide To Garbage Disposals | What Is Inside?

[@jbsimmons54]

I have an ISE 1.25Hp top of the line unit that gets medium to heavy duty usage almost daily. It's totally stainless steel and it is now *29* years old. I've taken it with me house to house when I moved as they don't build them this good any more. Think I paid $159 in 1994. Your cleaning recommendations are spot on and should be followed by all. This is what also prolonged it's life. My unit also has anti-jamming and when the lugs are like you showed for the 8 yr warranty unit, it has anti-jam and the motor spins the opposite direction each time the unit starts. This prolongs the life of the grind ring. You get what you pay for.

[@jbsimmons54]

I also recommend top of the line GE and Waste King Universal disposers. You need to use the full force of water to accomplish it's job, not a trickle.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Nice, 29 years is a good run, thanks for sharing 👍

[@charleshines2142]

There are plenty of things they don't make like they used to. These days everything is "disposable" and does not last as long.

[@SilverMosico]

This is great to hear! I have an Evolution Supreme SS (1HP), and it's handled everything I've thrown at it (within reason of course). I definitely aim to make it last as long as I can, and I feel you on taking it with you! Used a friend's disposal once, needless to say he doesn't really appreciate these things like we do 🤣 peels from 1 average sized potato and plenty of flowing water shouldn't cause a backup!

[@ianmcqueen13]

Thank you, Scott! I've been trying to fix my dishwasher for months. It never occurred to me that it only stopped working at the same time that I installed a new garbage disposal unit. FFS! The water had "nowhere to go!" I popped the plastic plug out and now my dishwasher drains like a dream. I should have watched this video BEFORE I put the disposal in. "What could go wrong?" I thought. Ugh.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Nice, yeah I bet that is a pretty common issue for DIY homeowners. It's not intuitive that there is a small plastic plug hiding inside the disposal. Nice work on the troubleshooting 👍

[@rachelcroyle580]

Scott, have never seen your videos until now but you saved me a HUGE plumbing bill getting my dish disposal unclogged! Definitely subscribing!

[@carolynjane4]

My disposal had been broken (humming during attempted use) for 2-3 weeks and I was about to submit a maintenance request to my building (I'm a renter) when I decided to do a quick google troubleshooting. I really thought best case scenario was that I'd be able to provide more info for them to have a better guess of what's wrong / what they would need to do. I ended up "accidentally" fixing it in less than 5 minutes. Then I wanted to better understand how these things work and why what I did fixed it. This video was the first one I found, and it was very informative. Thank you!

[@larryclements3504]

Thank you for the great video, Scott! Our disposal was not wanting to turn easily and kept tripping. The baking soda paste was able to loosen whatever was in there and it now turns freely. I was prepared to remove the disposal in an attempt to clean it but your baking soda paste suggestion worked perfectly.

[@hassanbazzi3545]

I had the Evaluation for about 13 years and it works like a charm. Well worth the money and very quiet. I really like showing the disposals apart. It is very educational especially when changing them so many times in my rental and not knowing how it is looking from inside. Thank you for sharing. Fantastic video

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Thanks Hassan, yeah this is one of the appliances in your home where spending a bit more usually is a smart decision. 13 years is a solid run 👊

[@100vg]

It's great that you mentioned the septic tank! I'm not interested in a garbage disposal, but anyone who is really needs that info so as to know they should not install one. I was thinking about that before you mentioned it. Speaking of septic tanks, if you have any videos on DIY septic tank maintenance, please let me know so I can search your videos page, or give me a link if it's not too much trouble. Thank you, Scott. I'm sure this videos was in response to your last one. Seeing the internals and the differences in the one-step-up model is appreciated.

[@jbsimmons54]

According to septic pumpers, you should get a top of the line unit with 2 or 3 grind stages for fine grind matter that's a bit easier for septic to digest. However, depending on how much you use it will shorten the sludge storage capacity of the tank between pump outs of 3-5 years to much sooner. Sludge will build up faster.

[@100vg]

@@jbsimmons54 Thanks for the info. Now I know I really don't want one. It's time for an inspection/maintenance call anyway. I bought this house 4 years ago and had it inspected/serviced by the previous owner first, but that needs to be done regularly. With your wonderful info, I won't complicate things any further than what's already required. Thanks and Happy New Year.

[@jheckmann]

Actually you can have a septic tank with a leach field, or a septic tank with a drywell/cesspit. I have the latter, no problems with the disposal.

[@100vg]

@@jheckmann Are you saying a Garbage Disposal is OK for a Septic Tank of either type? If so, Cool. Please verify. Are those the only two types? I'll have to find out which type I have. I'm past due for a Servicing, so I'll find out then. Thanks, J.!

[@bruce6167]

Excellent video about garbage disposals.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Thx!

[@tinpony9424]

Great presentation and visuals. The disposal plug explanation could save someone a lot of cleanup. I went through two Badgers in 30 years. First one leaked at the housing separation point you covered, the second seized beyond breaking loose. I installed the first one when I put in a dishwasher, and it was used a lot for food disposal. The second was unused and had no maintenance for about 3 years. I no longer use the disposal for food, just running it after a dishwasher load, or after doing dishes in the sink. The InSinkerator mounting flange makes replacement a breeze. Thanks for the time and effort you put into making and sharing this video.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Thanks for the feedback and agree having the InSinkerator flange installed makes a swap out easier than most homeowners think.

[@aredditor4272]

I work at a huge hotel that buys badgers. They're designed to fail junk. The cheapest, the 1/3 hp, is now over $100 after tax.

[@spookyjames4347]

You made a boring appliance very interesting. I really enjoyed the cutaway and explanation on how the disposal worked. I have previously poured baking soda into the disposal, turned on the cold water then the disposal. I will now make a baking soda paste, pour into the paste into the disposal, wait 15 minutes, add ice and turn it on. I moved into my current residence in 2017, the disposal in a Badger 500 1/2 hp. There is rust on the spinning disk.

[@stephenkeesee6429]

You have provided a wealth of knowledge. Thanks So Much!

[@kenji0132]

You're awesome at delivering info! I had to take my badger 5 apart to re-attach the reset button on the bottom. (It popped out into the lower assembly due to ignorance and force) I was needing to know what to use to replace that nasty black web of a seal when i opened it up. 100% silicone! I was about to use plumbers putty, but it says not to use on plastic. Thank you so much for the info! 🎉

[@jamesb5863]

I just replaced the original GE garbage disposal that was installed about 20 years ago, the motor still worked but the grinding disk had rusted away. I purchased the Insinkerator Badger 5 (the only difference between the Badger 5, 500, 5XL are the store they are available from). One thing I did learn while searching for a new disposal was that apparently the normal disposals like the Badger 5 are continuous feed disposals, so basically you are supposed to run the water and the disposal while you do your dishes, instead of waiting till the end of rinsing your dishes and then turning on the disposal to clear the sink. But I try to minimize what food scraps go down the drain by clearing the plates into the garbage 1st.

[@David.M.]

Thanks this is great, I like this series.

[@douglass69]

Good information, I always wondered what was inside those.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Thanks!

[@JimE6243]

Good stuff Scott. Learned a lot. JimE

[@rickski3769]

VERY interesting.....and yes....when I "peel potatoes" or have a lot of "trimmings".....heck, just grab the handful and throw in the trash ( or compost )....DON"T just "force" down the disposal....( like I've seen some people do !! ) Thanks for the INTERESTING video !!👍

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Yeah, that is the same approach I take. I don't try to push the limits with my disposal.

[@FauxQue-yk8dt]

Went through 3 of the Bsdger 5 units in 10 years. The plate rusts, and the housing is plastic. The latest failure leaked water out of the bottom around the shaft seal. So I'm done with Insinkerator. I swapped it out for a Moen. I'm at the point if the Moen fails I'm just going to do away with the disposal and plumb it out of existence. I just got the part where you reccommended Ice. Lol. That's how I destroyed the 2nd unit. The housing is plastic and it cracked. I should add this last failure also destroyed my cabinet under the sink. Water pooled in it for who knows how long. I smelled a bad odor for a few days and eventually found the bottom of the cabinet had caved in and water was pooled in it. I dried it out for a few days and then laid 3 pieces of vinyl flooring on the bottom if the cabinet. I had to fill in the dip with expanded foam to support the vinyl flooring in the center.

[@thomas-waldron]

Thank you for the useful and thorough info, and the visual explanation of the internals was awesome

[@jerrygottlick4614]

Very interesting to see the inside. I have the 500 which replaces the same model I removed. It was pretty easy to remove but I'm not completely confident I have the new one turned in correctly. It is amazingly heavy. Because of loud noises I stopped using the old one for a year and when I finally got around to examining it it was super Rusty and water just poured through it. It was no longer $100 at home depot. I had to buy the power cord as well which was a huge headache to connect and I paid $165 in total.

[@jeremyford298]

thanks for this! Helped me understand and fix a knocking sound that just started on my disposal

[@jontnoneya3404]

Just stumbled across your channel and watched a couple of your vids on the garbage disposal installs and this one. Really helpful information man and well presented. I like your laid back style, it gives us DIYers that don't do plumbing for a living much more confidence. Also just an idea for a future vid - you might do one on all the things that can be wrong when replacing a garbage disposal. Like - having to replace a p-trap that's been fully glued in and has no accessible parts to it (i.e. no threaded joints in the PVC drain except the one coming out of the disposal). Also how to make sure there's a proper "high loop" in the dishwasher discharge tube - mine was laying on the floor under the sink and when my garbage disposal would fill up cuz it was old and clogged, it would back fill into the dishwasher. Also installing the flange on the sink.....so many plumbers on Reddit are like "Throw away the rubber gasket and use 100% silicone to seal the drain ONLY." anyways - good stuff and thanks for the vid.

[@iamco698]

Thank so much for your video. I was able to fix my disposal and saved several hundred dollars! 😅

[@CB4basser1]

Great info!! 100% watch time. I took my lazy-ass one year to buy and install a new garbage disposal and I wish I did it sooner cuz more junk can go through the drain and it causes a slow drain.

[@jgong7557]

Best Garbage Disposal I have seen

[@foltz-art]

So dope seeing the insides of the garage disposal 🤑👻✌️🤟🔩

[@davidho1724]

Scott, my disposal is humming and neither the re-setting button and Alan Wrench helps. Could you please help me out. Thank you.

[@ibitaRaptor]

I recently replaced my garage disposal that was original to the house that lasted 20 years. It did it's job well for that time.I am using a mesh strainer now in my sink so prevent food to go down the drain.

[@jimwetzel1635]

The first time I installed an Insinkerator Evolution series GD, I started running water, flipped the switch, and became angry, thinking that the damn thing wasn't running, after all the work I did to install it. I was going to have to remove it and take it back to the box store! Then I realized that the thing was so quiet, the running-water sound was masking the disposal sound. Pretty nice.

[@joh2744]

You're the best, man!

[@GenovevaNinova]

Thank you for the great information!

[@chuckcarson7196]

Well done.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Thanks Chuck 👍

[@aowales3316]

GREAT ADVISE PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING TODAY I DID called RUTTER HERO to replace my garbage disposal & this are their prices are between $600.00-$700.00 if the buy the replacement ( IF I BUY IT MYSELF $500.00 Then I did ask what if you just REMOVE IT !! He said that is a lot of work so Between $800.00 - to. $ 900.00 !!! After seeing your video I think I can do it by myself !! YOU ARE MY HERO !!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤

[@stevedolan7125]

Very thorough. Thanks, great job.

[@alexm389]

This video just saved my wallet 124$! Thank you! All I needed to do was use the Allen wrench underneath, turn and unstuck the disk. Heck yeah!! Thank you very much for the video and information!

[@richs.7373]

I am replacing a Master Plumber MP35 disposal (identical to the Badger 1 series Insinkerators) that was neglected and completely rusted/clogged up to the point where it wouldn't even drain water. I will be using your tricks to keep the replacement Badger 5 in tip top shape!

[@Danilo-qk2gw]

Been using the evolution for 1 year and go heavily on it. Really robust machine, it`s incredble what it can take

[@rconcord9]

Another great video. Thanks 👍

[@Russianmafia10]

Lol I agree with the rental property thing. I had an apartment with city water and a garage disposal and man did we dump a lot of stuff down there.... It was great.

[@juancastro4000]

Thank you for your video(s), very helpful. Definitely saved me money and time.

[@gordoh7634]

Great video Scott! Also let it run for a while! Give it a chance to flush everything out. And I'm with you, if I step it up it'll be the evolution. I see the the local box store has the Supreme model.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Thanks for the feedback Gordo 👍

[@atanjacket]

I believe that if you are using the disposal on acidic components it is probably best to rinse for a minute or so after the initial chopping to make sure acidic remnants don't sit on the plate for an extended period of time.

[@OMFGBigBass]

Hey Scott!!!! Forgot to tell everyone to take the plug out of the new garage disposal vent! Kind of important so you don’t flood your kitchen like I did!

[@rob379lqz]

Yup. They purposely place the internal breaker button on the back. And, of course utilize internal metal mechanisms that rust/corrode visibly.

[@michaelchamberlain8882]

What about a slow leak from an opening in the base? 1 1/4 hp American Standard, maybe 8 yrs old. Repair or replace? Thx for all your work in keeping up a terrific DIY series.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

So the leak is coming out the bottom plate? If so, you probably have a small failure in the seal which I showed when taking apart the Badger 1/100. Since you have a larger model which also probably costs a bit I might try to open it up like I did and use silicone or RTV to seal things up repairing the failure.

[@Woody1000]

I love the evolution, 1 other thing is the removable sink baffle (gasket) that really comes in handy when cleaning disposal, cleaning baffle, and removing anything that falls down in there. The badgers baffles don't come out.

[@bobbywanger8123]

That was very interesting I might have to step up and buy the good one it stands still in it that's cool and thank you for the video

[@ChavezDIY]

Our Badger 5 lasted 12 years. It just started leaking yesterday because of rust inside. I'm replacing it with the same unit.

[@bhogalandson]

Hi I have a number of rentals and it sounds like you do too. I often have problems with the garbage disposals and am curious about taking them out as you recommended. Wouldn't this lead to more plumbings clogs with the tenants throwing more stuff down the drain and causing kitchen sink backups?

[@jefflebowski918]

I've replaced numerous disposals over the years but most of them the motor still worked. Do this to make your disposal work properly and last for 15+ years: 1. DO NOT POUR GREASE OR OIL DOWN THE DISPOSAL, pour it in your trash instead. This is the #1 reason for disposals to seize up. 2. Every week pour a little dish soap into the disposal and let it sit for 15 minutes, then flush with hot water. 3. If your disposal seizes up, use an Allen wrench(as shown in the video).

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

I have always used the top of the line ISE garbage disposals and they never have jammed, corroded or leaked on me. Mine is almost 20 years old and it looks like new inside of the grinding chamber. Our city takes all of our compost, meat and bones included, so I might not bother replacing it if it ever fails. I would have to buy a flanged dishwasher branched tailpiece to accommodate the dishwasher drain hose.

[@RebeccaRaven]

Our Insinkerator died and we didn't replace it. Our house was built in 1951 and I think that the pipes weren't sized/sloped right for the slurry and we did have periodic plugging. We're doing fine without it.

[@catblue6393]

I can see the appeal of a garbage disposal but I don't have one now and I never think about getting one. If I did I'd go for the $200 one. We keep a plastic container in the freezer for food waste. On garbage day we dump the frozen food waste collected over the week in the trash for pick up. It works well for us.

[@Vickybryant26]

I’ve got an evolution insinkerator which is completely jammed, we’ve tried to use the Allen key but it just won’t budge, does that mean it’s not going to get working again and ditch it or is it possible to get it working again thank you

[@odeliamazzakaufman2725]

Hi i have a general electric gfc701f. The inner disc is moving. Is there a way to repair it?thanks a lot.

[@teknologyguy5638]

Great info

[@marcdewey1242]

Im on a well where I live and the hard water ruined my disposal,I finally had a softener installed and got another disposal.

[@scorpioroyalty6942]

Great info!!!

[@phaedrus2633]

Any ideas on how to clean the hose between the air gap and the disposal unit? I took mine apart and took a garden hose to it, I noticed that there is no access to the top of the air gap fitting.

[@TheHoodGuru]

Come on, 2 excellent videos. hit another like on this one.

[@todd2456]

Another added benefit to the Evolution Series is that it has a removable black gasket at the top that can be removed and cleaned. And you can remove it to see down into the chamber in case something is stuck in there or if you've dropped something into that chamber.

[@keith2498]

Anyone try the new Moen disposals yet? They come with 5 year warranty. Made in America.

[@Thedonsmoney25823]

​@@keith2498China you meant if it was made in America it would have a induction motor

[@keith2498]

@@Thedonsmoney25823 I will check. Moen usually is American Made. Call for support and you speak to an American. Probably shouldn't have complained about repairing one. He was just teaching. Actually have a disposal that I may try and repair if it cracks open like his did. So far I haven't seen a place to open it up at.

[@RickPiper1]

Can the shredding plate be replaced? I see a bolt, but it looks pretty rusted.

[@jdjeep98]

The most common failure mode I've seen for these Badger 1 disposals is leaking through with water coming out the bottom. I always presumed it was a motor seal, but now I suspect it's corrosion eating a hole in the bottom of the exit chamber.

[@aredditor4272]

You're correct. I've taken apart dozens of them. Hard to believe they're still made out of non corrosion resistant materials. The housing used to be zinc, at least they changed that to plastic.

[@teegees]

What about using a product to prevent rust when you do your monthly baking soda and vinegar cleaning?

[@HomeRapidRepair]

You’re not prying my disposal from my cold dead hands 😅

[@hardlyb]

I used to run EVERYTHING through a garbage disposal, instead of putting stuff in the garbage. I learned how bad an idea this was when I blocked up my kitchen drain pipe with ground up carrots and other fibrous waste - getting that thirty foot run clear took a long time. We now live in a house with a septic system, but it's an aerobic one, so we have a garbage disposal, but just for things that are too small and hard to collect to put in the trash. As for fat, I pour it into doubled ziploc bags (or back in a jug, if there's a lot), and it goes into the trash. Having a dishwasher is good for keeping the pipes clean, since that soap will nuke nearly anything, but a reasonable effort to keep junk out of the drains pays off.

[@JimfromIndy]

I found that using a high-end high-power disposal is not good. The extra power (in my case, 1 HP) caused mine to clog routinely since it spun so fast it would glaze the food against the grinding plate rather than slowly (more slowly, anyway...) eating away at the material. I replaced it with a lower-power unit and all was good.... Food for thought.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Hmmm, interesting. What brand was your 1HP? Insinkerator?

[@JimfromIndy]

@@EverydayHomeRepairs Not sure, I was outfitting a new kitchen. I bought it from Ferguson (where my daughter got me the employee discount....years ago) Whatever it was, it got good reviews.

[@Horhoun]

When it comes to garbage disposers, you definitely get what you pay for. In my opinion, buying from the bottom of the line is false economy. The cheaper models will corrode and rust out in just a few years. For my rental units, I always buy the top of the line model from Insinkerator. The best models grind food waste into much smaller particles which are far less likely to cause drain line stoppages, thereby reducing the number of times I have to call in Roto-Rooter (which costs more than a top of the line disposer!). They're also much quieter and with stainless steel grind chambers and grind components, will outlast the cheaper models two or three to one.

[@Sal112350]

I own an apartment bldg and if those model leak in 2-3 years not worth buying those badger, just replace it with an stanless steel from Costco once on sale 60 bucks. Those stainless last 5-10 years or more if you run it once a day.

[@agcons]

My parents had a garbage disposal installed in 1965; it was an InSinkErator. It lasted nearly 25 years before failing, so that's pretty impressive, but they did not replace it. I believe they began to put the vegetable trimmings, etc. into compost instead. Where I grew up in BC and where I live now in Ontario, most people do not have them and are not interested. They were definitely a thing back in the 1960s; now not so much.

[@jbsimmons54]

Canadians called disposers "garburators".

[@agcons]

@@jbsimmons54 Yes, often, but in my homes this Canadian has only called them "not installed".😁 In its infinitive and gerund verb forms it's also a lesser-known slang term for consuming vast quantities of food, as in "Are you going to garburate that whole thing?" and "I hope you enjoyed garburating that whole thing".

[@darrylowens875]

can you replace a Badger 100 1/3 HP with a Badger 1 1/3 HP ?

[@henrythe83rd18]

Water will not go to your sink base nor the floor. It will just not drain, and your dishes will remain dirty. Also, very important safety tip is to never try to reset the circuit breaker with the key in the bottom slot. that Allen key could possibly go flying in your face. You had 2 videos about the Allen key without mentioning this. So make sure to unjam it first before resetting the circuit breaker / have the switch at the OFF position while operating the Allen key or fishing anything inside the disposal. Safety first!!

[@mattv5281]

If the galvanized metal below the spinning disc rusts out, then water will definitely end up in your sink cabinet. It happened to me, and it's a common failure mode/planned obsolescence feature on these cheap units.

[@henrythe83rd18]

@@mattv5281 I was referring to the dishwasher connection adapter @ 12:51. If you forgot to punch in the plastic insert, you will not have a leak. I had that experience myself. Your dishes would simply not get cleaned. He said that "there is a plastic insert, and if you don't pop that insert off, there is nowhere for the water to go" leading to a MAJOR LEAK.

[@charleshines2142]

You can tell that these ones are induction motors as they don't have brushes and commutators like universal motors do. That is a good thing since they are likely to last longer. A lot of heavy power tools like table saws and air compressors come with induction motors, especially the more powerful ones. Also that bad one may have had food left in it and they just for some reason never ran it. Really it looks like something tried to make a nest in there.

[@Badenhawk]

Can't wait to watch all this. When my in-laws visit they always stick crap down mine and since it's old and doesn't work well I usually don't know until it starts to smell in 2 weeks. Need to upgrade.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Nice thing is if you have an Insinkerator the swap out should be easy. That is exactly what I did in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoCpfKqNhLJ5erc

[@frosted1030]

Not sure where you are getting your prices, but the Badger 1 retails for about $195 now.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Hmmm, here is a Badger 1 on Amazon for $94 amzn.to/3Xsrtvc

[@frosted1030]

@@EverydayHomeRepairs In my experience, companies WILL NOT honor warenties on products purchased from unauthorized third parties. Due mostly to the knockoffs from China undercutting prices, mostly.

[@markb3866]

I didn't know any of this. Thanks man.

[@bombardier3qtrlbpsi]

I'll never need one. But I know someone who puts wrong stuff down the sink. Far as I'm concerned it should be just soapy water and some light stuff from dishes.

[@AverageReviewsYT]

They make disposals that can tackle bone 😆😆😆 yeah I haven’t priced them but I’m sure they’re expensive as hell.

[@macfady2181]

Are these common outside of the US? I've only ever seen them when traveling in the US, and I don't know anyone personally who has one.

[@fl_omar]

Why no mention of waste king? They are the best imho

[@BloodAsp]

I would be terrified of using the direct to shaft alen wrench if there was anyone else in the house, tbh would probably throw the breaker before even doing that just incase. Also, compost is king.

[@billl1127]

My mother always used cold water when running her disposal and I never knew why. I thought she was just saving money or the machine itself would not run properly. I guess it has to do with the grease issue.

[@SirOpinesALot]

You don't mention the #1 thing you should mention... the disposal is meant for only breaking up hard to pick up particulates. It's not meant to grind up potato or carrot peels where 99% of this solid waste should be thrown into the garbage. If the sink waste can be picked up and go in the garbage or a composting bin, that's where it SHOULD go. I learned this the hard way plugging the pipes and flooding the floor. Another thought: all garabge disposals should be made with stainless steel. What the heck is that galvanized crap?!?!

[@edimichaelchannel1162]

Thank you🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

[@charleshines2142]

I think the only reason we never had one in our house is that we have a septic tank and there are very few disposals that can work on those without causing problems.

[@baims8367]

Vinegar added in with the baking soda wouldn’t hurt

[@AverageReviewsYT]

Ok.. I’m here for the cleaning comment… u don’t need anything but water.. that’s all you need… I have had stinky I have had chunks of food.. just run with water while you use it and it will clear out.. the hottest water will work with the fats.. sure it’s wasteful but with a thorough clean out it all goes way past the pipes and the point of no issues.. been doing this for years and do my own plumbing and never have I had a single issue.. for a deep clean I fill the sink 1/4 of the way up.. turn on the disposal and then pull the plug.. all that force will blast the blades clean.. ice.. has reports of damaging disposals.. chemicals.. are a waste of time.. water has never failed me and hot water has done well for flushing fats..

[@DC9848]

Why doesn't the badger have automatic spinning every 3-12 hours? Would make prolong the product life quite a bit

[@stevesether]

I think if you're buying the el-cheapo model that has parts that'll rust, you're chincing out. Why wait for it to rust out? You don't have to go to the high end $200 . There's a Waste King 1/2 HP model that's also around $100. I've had the 1 HP Waste King for almost 7 years now,and I put everything down it, (except potato peels, or anything EXTREMELY fibrous).

[@douglasdever6134]

Just look down into the hole and you will see how the disposing of food works; DUH! RUN THE DISPOSAL BEFORE running the dishwasher If the disposal is full and water starts pouring in from the dishwasher, it will overflow; luckily it is sitting in a large bowl so water does not get onto floor. Unless you never rinse your dishes before placing inside a dishwasher, the amount of garbage in the washer drain water is minimal. I guess some good info for some. But always cold water should be used. As for NYC....they are making gas stoves illegal, so does that tell people something? Another way to unjam the lug is use a handle of a wooden spoon, insert into opening and push lug back and forth. Works great. DO I need to say, do NOT turn on disposal when you are placing spoon into disposal?

[@curtw8827]

My wife is forbidden to put potato peels in our disposer. They jam up the small outlet elbow. Had a plumber change my last unit, he forgot to put a clamp on the dishwasher hose, I caught it before using.

[@jbsimmons54]

Potato peels + warm water = glue. Have to use full force cold water when doing starchy matter. I had problems with the cheap units clogging at the elbow in the double bowl sink. Then I stepped up to 2 or 3 grind stages w/ top of the line and never had problems ever again.

[@jimpease280]

About once a year, my spouse who thinks any thing can go down a disposal, requires me to replace the disposal. She drinks a lot while cooking.

[@jeffhansman2829]

Don't suppose that citrus fruits can be "disposed" of. The pulverizer simply cannot deal with the rind. Scott's point about using citrus for the acidic factor is a good one, but you'll have to remove it by hand. Be selective about what you send down for this appliance to handle; it has limited capability.

[@keith2498]

I would just like to add my opinion. You are taking as much time and effort to repair and clean one of these things as you would to replace it with a new one. Dear home owners. Replacing your disposal is probably one of the easiest projects you can do. Insinkerator is one of the most used. American made etc. Use to be 45 dollars until Biden. Took over. Now we are over 100 dollars. I would be curious if you would review the new Moen garbage disposals. Different motor type and 5 year warranty. I just installed one at my house. Has a slimmer housing and is easier to work with when installing. Bad side? Slimmer requires adjustments on piping length. I do install these at our rental properties. These things are built for abuse and will last a long time. It's a convenience that is expected in Texas. They are instructed to not put down the disposal any rice or pasta. That's what clogs the pipes. In our lease agreements tenants are responsible for all clogged lines. I agree and I learned this managing high rise buildings. Cold water always. Just as you said. You want solid fats going through lines not liquid fat. As another suggestion you should add. Disposal goes off first. Then after about 20 seconds you shut water off. To many people shut water off then disposal. Then you get clogs and corrosion from unwashed out food. Flush that crud all the way out.

[@michaelwiddig6380]

They are in some areas now not allowed in house as a rentals cause people stick hands in and sue landlords also they will eat ur pipes up and as of today I had to replace two houses drains and they been trashed if you take it off don't try to fix them , why I say this I took care of 400 plus apartments that had them .

[@zaaz1471]

..... badger badger badger..... MUSHROOM! MUSHROOM!!

[@harvestblades]

I'm not a fan of garbage disposals as they can cause issues in older homes, & are a hassle when they clog, jam, or fail vs conventional plumbing & a good strainer.

[@bluewater454]

The metal in the spinning platform is not stainless steel??? That is called planned obsolescence.

[@mikejf4377]

You never put oil or fat down your drain. I put two egg shells in a day and run it after I do the dishes. Hot water.

[@macster1457]

I got rid of mine and will never install one, EVER. These things if not cleaned regularly will make your kitchen STINK!

[@angeldej4225]

And might even an N95 mask.

[@mittu042003]

Do not use ice, ur dishwasher will leak and break. You will need a new one after.