On this page
A garbage disposal jammed is a motor that cannot turn, or a chamber you can see is packed. A jammed garbage disposal is the same report. How to fix a jammed garbage disposal on this page is the owner method many current manuals print: power off, nothing in the chamber from a hand, an Allen key in the bottom socket if the unit has one, then the reset button. InSinkErator documents a 1/4-inch hex socket on many household units. Your sheet in the box confirms the size. Waste King, Moen, and other brands are not this drawing. Use their sheet.
Garbage disposal jammed humming means the motor is powered and stuck. That overlap is garbage disposal humming but not working. A unit with no sound at all is garbage disposal not working. Do not treat silence as a jam you can force.
Unclog jammed garbage disposal blades
Unclog jammed garbage disposal blades only with the power isolated. Turn the wall switch off. If you will put a hand under the sink, switch the breaker off too. Look into the opening with a light. Pull out a visible pit, bone, or utensil with tongs or pliers. Jammed garbage disposal blades are sharp enough to cut a finger even when the motor is off. Do not reach in. Do not use a chemical drain cleaner in the disposal. It can sit in the chamber and splash back when the motor finally starts.
If the manual shows a hex socket on the bottom center, insert the correct key and work it back and forth until the turntable moves freely. Then press the red reset button on the bottom if the unit has one. Restore power only after your hands and the tongs are out of the sink. Run cold water, then switch the disposal on. If it hums and does not spin, turn it off. Repeating that is how the motor overheats. A dishwasher that will not drain into a new disposal is often the knockout plug, covered in dishwasher not draining.
| What you hear | Likely cause | Safe check |
|---|---|---|
| Hum, no spin | Jam | Power off. Tongs from the top. Hex key only if the manual shows the socket |
| Silence | Switch, reset, or no power | The not-working guide. Do not stick a hand in |
| Free turn with the key, then it runs | The jam released | Cold water, then a short test |
| Leak under the sink | Stop | Leave the power off. Do not reset a wet unit |
Kill the power
Wall switch off. Breaker off before you go under the sink.
Tongs only, from the top
Light and tongs. No hands. No drain chemical.
Turn the hex socket if the manual shows one
Back and forth until the turntable is free. Then the reset button.
Test once with cold water
If it hums again, stop. The humming guide is the next page, not another reset marathon.
Questions readers ask
Can I unclog a disposal with my hand if the switch is off?
No. The chamber can still cut you, and a switch can be flipped by someone else. Use tongs, with the breaker off if you are under the sink.
What size is the hex key?
Many current InSinkErator household units use 1/4 inch. Confirm it on the sheet for your unit. Do not force a key that does not fit, and do not assume a Moen or Waste King uses the same socket.
It hums after I pressed reset. Should I hold the switch on?
No. Turn it off. A garbage disposal jammed humming after a reset is still a jam or a failed motor. Forcing it overheats the motor. Read the humming guide.
Will baking soda and vinegar clear a jammed disposal?
No. A jam is mechanical. A fizz does not turn the plate. Do not add a chemical drain opener either.
