Your garbage disposal is the unsung hero of your kitchen–it prevents food debris and other gunk from accumulating in your P-trap and drain pipes, helping you to avoid a severe clog or costly repair. However, a garbage disposal does break down occasionally and requires replacement, and it can harbor foul odors that you might need to address. In either case, you can follow the steps in this guide to learn how to remove a garbage disposal, and fix your problem, in about 15 minutes.
How to Remove a Garbage Disposal in 5 Steps
Dispose of garbage disposal issues once and for all
Photo: SDF_QWE / Adobe Stock
Photo: SDF_QWE / Adobe Stock
Written by Dan Simms
Contributing Writer
Updated October 2, 2023
Difficulty
Simple
Saturday skill builder.
Time to complete
15 minutes
Cost
$0
Troubleshooting only costs your time.
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What you'll need:
TOOLS
- Channel-lock pliers
- Garbage disposal wrench
- Small bucket
- Towel
- Screwdriver
- Contactless voltage detector
Shut Off the Power
Garbage disposals use electricity to churn up water and debris that moves through your sink drain. Anytime that you are working with electricity and water, you need to take the proper safety precautions to ensure there’s no power running to your appliance. Start by shutting off the power at the circuit breaker, either to your garbage disposal only or to your entire kitchen.
In some cases, the circuit breaker switch can fail and still carry some power to your garbage disposal. Use a contactless voltage detector to double-check that no power is running to your garbage disposal before you get started.
Detach the Drain Pipe
Photo: tylim / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty ImagesOnce you’ve confirmed that the power is off to your garbage disposal, you can disconnect the drain pipe, which is the pipe exiting close to the bottom of your garbage disposal.
Place your bucket under the drain in case any water or debris comes out when you loosen the connection. Unscrew the PVC nut or wing nut by hand until the drain line disconnects. Remove the P-trap that extends from the drain line, or move it to the side.
Disconnect Your Dishwasher Drain Line
Many garbage disposals also receive water from the dishwasher, in which case you’ll have a separate hose coming through the inside wall of the cabinet and connecting near the top of your disposal. This is usually connected with a hose clamp, so you can unscrew it and disconnect it using a screwdriver. Be sure to use your bucket to catch any water caught in the line.
Disconnect the Garbage Disposal
Photo: JodiJacobson / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty ImagesYour garbage disposal is heavy, and once you disconnect it from the bracket under the sink, it will drop onto the cabinet floor. Either have another person support it while you complete this step or set up a cardboard box underneath it to prevent it from falling.
With the appliance supported, use your garbage disposal wrench to unscrew the disposal from the mounting bracket that’s bolted to the underside of your sink.
Disconnect the Power Source
At this point, the only thing connected to your disposal will be the electrical lines that provide power. They should run into a removable plate on the underside of the appliance. Unscrew the plate, and then unscrew the plastic wire nuts. Untangle the exposed wires and unscrew the copper ground wire. There might be a wire strain relief that clamps the wires in place and prevents them from pulling on the interior connections. Unscrew the screws clamping the wires if there are any, and remove your garbage disposal.
If you’re going through this process to clean the garbage disposal to remove odors from your kitchen, consider marking the wires using tape so that you know exactly how to reverse the process to re-install your garbage disposal.
DIY Vs. Hiring a Pro
Removing a garbage disposal is a fairly simple task that most homeowners can do themselves following the steps above. Garbage disposal repair costs will usually range between $70 and $300, so you could save quite a bit of money if you are comfortable doing the work yourself.
However, remember that this is an appliance that uses water and electricity, which don’t mix. There are a few instances that warrant a call to a local garbage disposal repair company, including:
You’re not comfortable working with electrical wiring.
Your voltage detector shows that your appliance is still “hot” even after the breaker is shut off.
You’re unable to disconnect the connections without significant force.
You notice leaks under your sink before or after you remove and replace your garbage disposal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once you have your garbage disposal disconnected, you can remove the mounting bracket by unscrewing the bolts that are holding the bracket. You can back them out just enough to pop off the snap ring, which prevents the bottom portion of the bracket from disconnecting from the top when you unscrew the bolts. Use a regular screwdriver to pop off the snap ring, and the rest of the components should fall off by themselves.
These appliances do unscrew, but you need to disconnect everything properly when you replace your garbage disposal. Make sure you shut the power off to the area first and check that it’s off with a voltage detector. Disconnect the main drain line and P-trap, and then disconnect the dishwasher drain line if you have one connected. You can then unscrew your garbage disposal using a disposal wrench. Just make sure you disconnect the electrical lines before removing your appliance.
In some cases, it’s more cost-effective in the long run to replace a garbage disposal, but it depends on the specific issue you’re having and the age of your disposal. You should ask a garbage disposal repair tech for a quote to repair your appliance and then see if it would be more worthwhile to replace it. Additionally, garbage disposals last for around 15 years, so if you know your appliance is reaching that age, it’s likely better to pay for a new garbage disposal rather than sink money into repairs.
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