Garbage Disposal is Slow to Drain | Reasons and Fixes

Turning on the sink faucet and seeing water not pass smoothly frustrates me. I spent my whole day surfing the internet and succeeded in finding the fix for the problem. Since applying the methods, my garbage disposal has become obedient and works efficiently. Why garbage disposal is slow to drain is a must to know for those who can’t help using it frequently without any inconvenience.

Garbage is slow to drain, highlighting the warning of blockages. It could be due to not flushing enough water and putting inappropriate food items in it. You can restore the garbage disposal by the same methods as to clear the clogs. Also, if the clogs are in the drains dismantling them to clean them is essential.

In this article, I will mention some easy techniques to fix why disposal is slow to drain. In addition, the mindful tips persuade you to take proper care of your kitchen appliance to push the tension away of cleaning them every time.

Why Does My Garbage Disposal Drain Slowly?

Who else agrees that dealing with slow drains turns off the mood? Not only does the process of doing dishes take a long time, but you have to carry out the same cleaning regime decided for weekends. However, a few reasons may get your insight into what you have done to your garbage disposal that causes it to drain slowly.

Clogging

What you have thought is true as the root cause of the slow disposal drain is clogging. No matter how much you have maintained proper care per the manual instruction, shield it from clogged.

It is prone to it, as the dirt and debris have no restriction, unlike hard food items, banana/potato peels, celery, and grease, to enter and reduce the running time for the garbage disposal. Also, the end consequence is slow draining, a foul smell, and a pool of water in the kitchen sink.

Clogging in garbage disposal

Flushing Water

Do you hear running water before and after food grinding makes garbage disposal healthy and prosperous? If yes, considering how long the machine needs water to convert the food chunks into fine liquefied particles is crucial.

You must flush water for 10-15 seconds to wash away the excess food items into the drains and then the waste pipeline. A few seconds of flushing water will make or break the deal, and your disposal unit becomes the victim of blockages.

Flushing Water into sink

Blockage in Drains

You may find the cause in the forefront of the garbage disposal, but it lies hidden and far away, such as in the drain lines. The underlying cause is the food waste reaching the far ends of the drains that you may not remove using pliers.

You may assume the U-shaped trap is the storehouse of the excess junk. To increase your knowledge, I also read a comment on the internet that the pipe gets rusted or deformed over time.

Blockage in Drains

How to Fix Slow Draining Garbage Disposal?

Providing you the hope of fixing the disposal sink slow drain in a few minutes is like accomplishing an impossible task. You must gear up with certain equipment as it takes time to recover the garbage disposal and kitchen sink.

Caution: turn off the garbage disposal and disconnect it from the outlet’s switch and circuit breaker.

Remove Clogs Manually

What you have to do is to cast a torchlight into the sink to find the nearest clogs. If there are, grab pliers and tongs to remove them firsthand. Also, maintain a significant distance between your bare hands not to reach the circumference of the disposal, for it may cause injury.

Remove Clogs Manually

Baking Soda and Vinegar Mixture

Devoid of garbage disposal equipment and want to clean up clogs? Favor the help of a tried-and-tested Baking Soda and Vinegar mixture. Pour one cup of vinegar into the kitchen sink after positioning the sink stopper not to let the water leak from it.

Sprinkle almost ¼ cup of baking soda onto the vinegar clade sink, let the mixture sit for about 20 minutes, and wash away with excess water.

Baking Soda and Vinegar Mixture for Garbage Disposal is Slow to Drain

Plunger

You can carry out a clog-removing strategy with the help of the sink plungers. The essence is the power of pressuring the water to let the debris slide into the drains. You may put effort into positioning the plunger onto the sink drain and moving it up and down a few times to loosen the debris and food waste.

Garbage Disposal is Slow to Drain Fix by Plunger

Allen Wrench

A special tool in the garbage disposal kit will restrict your garbage disposal from backing up water in the sink. Hence, eliminating the slow drain problem. Insert the wrench into the hole below the disposal unit and turn it in either direction until the flywheel dislodges from its place.

Tidbits: do not confuse the Allen wrench technique with pliers as the former clear clogs from the machine’s internal part while the former hand-cuff close by culprits.

You may turn on the garbage disposal to check whether it works fine. Moreover, if you lack an Allen wrench, remove the accumulated gunk using a wooden rod. The only restriction is running it through the sink drain and not from beneath the machine.

Garbage Disposal is Slow to Drain Fix by 
Allen wrench

Inspect Drainpipes

If the problem of slow-draining garbage disposal still prevails, you may check for the conditions of the drainpipes by going further.

Steps to Inspect Drainpipes

Can Garbage Disposal Cause Slow Drain?

Yes, garbage disposal cause slow drains. In fact, it is nothing different from the problems of garbage disposal clogged, not spinning, turning, or overheating. You may include the specific issue in the booklet highlighting the fixes of disposal unit various problems.

Moreover, the two major reasons for garbage disposal letting the water pour into the drain at snail’s speed are clogging and jammed drain pipes. The former occurs in the internal components of the disposal, leading it to turn off automatically and need frequent resets.

On the other hand, if finding drainpipes are culprits, they cause slow draining due to leftover food getting obstructed due to flushing low levels of water. Also, the chances of rust triggering the situation, and you face the hassle of cleaning the pool every time you turn on the faucet.

How do you fix a slow draining garbage disposal?

The technique lies under the category of cleaning the disposal. But you can implement it as an alternative to make your disposal drain at a normal pace. Pick the handful of ice cubes and pour them into the disposal. Make your garbage disposal switched on with running water after pouring the cup of rock salt to wash away the food-forming clogs.

Why is water staying in my garbage disposal?

The reason why your garbage disposal stays water in it is due to clogging. When something gets stuck in the disposal, impeller plates grind them improperly and cause damage to the normal working machine.

Summing Up