What to Do When Broken Glass Falls Into a Garbage Disposal

Breaking a glass in the sink while doing the dishes is a pretty common occurrence. Unfortunately, little bits of broken glass can fall into the garbage disposal, where they can be tricky to remove. It’s important to turn off the disposal immediately when you hear and loud noises to prevent damaging the unit. The good news is that there are steps you can take to safely and effectively remove the broken glass so it does not end up being ground up in the disposal chamber. Here’s how to remove the broken glass.

Safety First

Before attempting to remove the glass, it’s important to ensure the power to the disposal is turned off. Usually you can simply, unplug the disposal from the outlet located under the sink. If the unit can not be unplugged, you can turn off the power to the kitchen from the home’s electrical panel by switching the circuit breaker to the “off” position.

Removing the Glass

To remove the glass you’ll need a pair of safety glasses and a pair of long-handled tongs or pliers. The safety glasses will protect your eyes from any flying glass, and the tongs will help you reach into the disposal to pull out the larger bits of glass.

Cleaning the Disposal

Once the larger bits of glass are out of the disposal, you will need to remove the smaller particles of glass. First, put on heavy rubber gloves to protect your hands. Next, take a damp sponge with a few drops of dish soap and carefully wipe the inside of the chamber to pick up the smaller glass particles. Once the chamber is as clean as possible, flush the disposal (power off) with warm water to dislodge any remaining fine glass particle.

When to Call a Plumber

If the glass has jammed in the impeller of the disposal, it is best to call a professional plumber. A plumber will have the tools and experience to safely and effectively remove the glass to prevent damaging the unit.