How to Fix a Jammed or Humming Garbage Disposal

A garbage disposal that hums, grinds to a stop, or refuses to turn on is one of those kitchen appliance failures that feels urgent but is usually a quick fix.

A garbage disposal that hums, grinds to a stop, or refuses to turn on is one of those kitchen appliance failures that feels urgent but is usually a quick fix. The vast majority of disposal problems fall into three categories: a tripped thermal overload (fixed with the reset button), a mechanical jam (fixed with a hex wrench and a flashlight), or a power issue (fixed at the switch or outlet). This guide walks through all three scenarios, plus how to assess and address worn impellers when repeated jamming suggests deeper wear.

What You Need

• Garbage Disposal Hex Wrench Set (1/4-inch Allen Key) — The most essential tool. Fits the center socket on the bottom of the disposal to manually turn the grinding plate. Most disposals ship with one; if you have lost yours, a standard 1/4-inch hex key from any hardware store works.
• Garbage Disposal Unjamming Wrench (Offset Style) — A specialty wrench shaped to fit InSinkErator and Waste King unjamming slots. More leverage than a standard hex key in tight quarters.
• Kitchen Tongs or Needle-Nose Pliers — For safely removing foreign objects from the grinding chamber with the power off. Never use fingers.
• Flashlight or Headlamp — The interior of the disposal is dark. A headlamp lets you see what is jammed while keeping both hands free.
• Replacement Garbage Disposal Splash Guard — The rubber baffle in the drain opening often deteriorates over years of use and can be replaced without removing the disposal unit.
• InSinkErator or Waste King Replacement Disposal (if needed) — If troubleshooting reveals a failed motor or severely damaged impellers, a replacement unit runs $80 to $200 and installs in under an hour using the existing mounting hardware.

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Step 1: Safety First — Cut the Power

This step is non-negotiable. Before touching anything inside the disposal or under the sink, cut power to the unit.

For plug-in disposals (most residential units): Reach under the sink and unplug the disposal from the electrical outlet, which is typically mounted inside the cabinet. The cord runs directly from the bottom of the disposal to the outlet.

For hardwired disposals: Flip the wall switch to OFF, then go to your electrical panel and flip the circuit breaker labeled “disposal” or “kitchen disposal.” Verify the power is off by flipping the wall switch — if no humming occurs at all, the breaker is off.

Do not rely solely on the wall switch. Switches can fail to fully cut power, and many people have been surprised by a disposal that suddenly started while they were working inside it.

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Step 2: Press the Reset Button

If your disposal is completely dead — no hum, no sound when you flip the switch — the most likely cause is a tripped thermal overload rather than a mechanical jam. The disposal’s built-in protection circuit shuts the unit off when the motor overheats (usually from running while jammed).

Locate the reset button on the underside of the motor housing. It is a small red or black button. In a working, non-tripped disposal it sits flush with the housing. A tripped disposal will have the button visibly protruding about 1/4 inch.

Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the motor to cool before pressing the button — pressing it too soon resets the circuit before the motor has cooled and it will trip again immediately if a jam is still present.

Clear any jam first (Step 3), then come back and press the reset button. Press it firmly until you feel a distinct click. Then restore power and test.

If the reset button pops back out immediately when you release it, there is still a jam or the motor has a more serious fault.

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Step 3: Manually Turn the Grinding Plate

If the disposal hums but does not spin, the grinding plate is jammed. You will free it from underneath using the hex wrench.

Look at the exact center of the bottom of the disposal housing. You will see a small hexagonal socket. Insert your 1/4-inch Allen wrench into this socket.

Work the wrench back and forth — clockwise and counterclockwise — with steady pressure. You are manually turning the motor shaft and the grinding plate. At first you may feel significant resistance. Continue working it back and forth until the plate moves freely in both directions without catching.

This process typically takes 30 seconds to 3 minutes. If after 5 minutes of working the wrench the plate still will not turn, the obstruction is something hard (a bone fragment, bottle cap, or utensil) rather than soft food, and you need to look inside the chamber.

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Step 4: Remove Foreign Objects from the Grinding Chamber

With the power confirmed off, use your flashlight to look down into the disposal through the drain opening. Push the rubber splash guard baffle aside and look into the grinding chamber.

Common jam culprits:

• Bottle caps
• Broken glass
• Small spoons or utensils
• Fruit pits (cherry, peach, avocado)
• Broken dish fragments
• Twist ties and rubber bands

Use tongs or needle-nose pliers to grip the obstruction and pull it out. Do not reach in with your fingers, even when the power is off — impeller edges are sharp.

Once the object is removed, use the hex wrench again to confirm the plate spins freely. Then restore power, press the reset button, run cold water, and turn on the disposal.

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Step 5: Address Soft-Food Blockages

Sometimes the jam is not a hard object but an accumulation of fibrous food — artichoke leaves, corn husks, asparagus, celery strings — wound around the impellers.

These require a different approach. After cutting power, use tongs to pull out whatever you can reach from above. Then use the hex wrench to work the plate back and forth while the food gradually loosens. Alternate between working the wrench and pulling debris from above.

Once the plate moves freely, restore power and run the disposal with plenty of cold water — not hot. Cold water keeps fats solid so they can be chopped and flushed out. Hot water melts fat and allows it to solidify further down in the drain pipe.

Run the disposal for 30 to 60 seconds with full cold water flow after clearing a fibrous jam. This flushes out any remaining fiber caught lower in the grinding chamber.

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Step 6: Diagnose Recurring Jams

A disposal that jams repeatedly — multiple times per month — usually has one of three underlying problems:

Worn impellers: The impellers (the rotating arms that sweep food against the shredder ring) wear down and lose their sweeping force over years of use. Worn impellers cannot move food through the chamber efficiently, leading to buildup and jamming. This is particularly common in disposals over 10 years old.

Partial drain clog: If the drain line downstream from the disposal is partially clogged, food and water back up into the grinding chamber faster than they drain. The chamber fills, and the motor must work against water resistance. Clean the P-trap and drain line under the sink.

Undersized motor: If you regularly run hard foods that exceed the disposal’s rated capacity (in horsepower), jamming is expected rather than exceptional. A 1/3 HP unit will jam regularly on bones and hard materials that a 3/4 HP or 1 HP unit handles easily.

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Step 7: When to Replace Instead of Repair

If your disposal is more than 10 to 12 years old, showing rust on the grinding ring visible when you look inside, leaking from the bottom of the housing (not the drain connections), or tripping the reset frequently despite no visible jam, replacement is usually more economical than continued troubleshooting.

Most replacement disposals use the same mounting system (called the EZ Mount or 3-bolt mount) as the one you are removing. The process:

1. Disconnect the drain line and electrical connections.
2. Turn the old unit counterclockwise to release it from the mounting ring.
3. Snap the new unit onto the same mounting ring and connect drain and power.

The full swap takes 30 to 45 minutes with no special tools beyond those listed above. The mounting ring typically stays in the sink drain opening and does not need replacement unless it is cracked or corroded.

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Preventing Future Jams

A few habits dramatically reduce disposal jams:

• Always run cold water before turning on the disposal, during use, and for 20 seconds after turning it off.
• Cut large food items into pieces before feeding them in — do not dump a plate of leftovers in all at once.
• Avoid fibrous vegetables (celery, artichokes, onion skins), starchy foods (pasta, rice), and grease.
• Never pour chemical drain cleaners into a disposal — the caustic chemicals damage the rubber splash guard and internal components.
• Once a month, run a handful of ice cubes through the disposal to clean the grinding components and sharpen the impellers.

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Related Reading

• How to Fix a Kitchen Faucet Leak
• How to Unclog a Drain
• How to Install a Kitchen Faucet