What should I do about steel wool falling into my garbage disposal?

Question

My wife was scrubbing pans with a small steel wool pad with the disposal running. She dropped the pad and it fell into the disposal and it is now in there. It has been grinding up but it does not sound good so I stopped running it. What should I do? I don't know anything about plumbing and I really dont want to call a plumber if I don't have to. Will the disposal be all right to grind up the pad, or will I have to do something about it. Thank you for any advice you can give.

Answer 1

It should not harm the disposal. Putting steel wool pads in the disposal is a method of cleaning fibrous material out of the unit although you usually put only a quarter of a pad in at a time. If it keeps running, just keep the cold water running to help flush it down the drain. If it jambs the unit it can be unjammed easily by turning the unit with the maintenance wrench in the bottom or using a broom handle or very large screwdriver in the top.

Answer 2

It would probably be a good idea to get the pad out of there..... just to avoid any possible problems with it jamming things up in there. SHUT THE ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE DISPOSAL OFF AT THE BREAKER BOX BEFORE WORKING ON IT. AFTER TURNING OFF THE BREAKER, DOUBLE CHECK THAT THE POWER IS OFF BY OPERATING THE DISPOSAL SWITCH TO MAKE SURE IT IS OFF. It's pretty simple to disassemble the disposal from the sink mount and then either rinse or take a hose to it to gets the pieces of steel wool pad out of there. Pay special attention to the area around the main shaft get all the steel pad away from the shaft so it doesn't tear up the seals. If you're at all uncomfortable with working on it, it really shouldn't be that expensive for a plumber or handyman to check it and clear it. Maybe you have a neighbor who is pretty handy with that stuff, and would check it out for you. It wouldn't cost more than a 12-pack of beer in my neighborhood.............

Answer 3

Tie a magnet on a piece of string and drop it in the disposal with it NOT running and this should get most of it , the rest will eventually work it's way down the drain

Answer 4

right here s what I basically did after analyzing those posts and it labored- positioned a medium sized tupperware field over the drain placing out. whilst themouse crawls out of thedrain, quickly slide the tupperware to the facet, so the mouse can t come again off the hollow yet he s nonetheless interior the field. then slide a chew of cardboard (I used a folder) under the field and take the mouse outdoors. use a tupperware sufficiently massive to go away room for teh mouse to be out of the hollow, yet sufficiently small so as that as quickly as you slide it to teh facet it will be off the hollow yet nonetheless extra healthful interior the sink.

Answer 5

Have you reached in to see if it is just loose in there? Just stay away from switch, and feel for it. Try to remove it. No go? Grind it up..shouldn't be a big problem, just grind with plenty of water.