How to Remove a Garbage Disposal

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Removing a garbage disposal can be expensive if you hire a plumber, so doing it yourself will save time and money, and it's pretty easy to tackle on your own. Remove a few PVC pipes, either by hand or with a wrench, and use a hex key or screwdriver to unlock the disposal from the mounting ring. Then, you just need to replace the pipes in the right order. Whether you want to replace the disposal or remove it altogether, we’ll break all of it down and show you how to do it step by step.

Removing a Garbage Disposal: Quick Overview

Shut off the power supply to the garbage disposal and unplug it. Loosen and remove the dishwasher hose, and use a wrench to unlock the p-trap. Disconnect the p-trap and let the water drain into a bucket. Use a hex key or screwdriver to loosen and remove the garbage disposal from the bottom of the sink.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Removing a Garbage Disposal

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  1. Shut off the power supply from the circuit breaker or electrical service panel. Flip the switch controlling the electricity going to the garbage disposal on your circuit breaker. This will keep you safe as you work. [1]
    • Confirm that the power supply has been shut off by attempting to turn the garbage disposal on before proceeding.
  2. Pull the plug of the garbage disposal out from the wall. Then, disconnect the wires using the following steps:
    • Remove the plate covering the wire connections on the bottom of the disposal using a screwdriver.
    • Disconnect the exposed wires by untwisting the wire nuts.
    • Re-cap the wires that hook back into the wall and set them aside for later.
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  3. When you disconnect the pipes, water is going to spill out from the pipe. Put an empty bucket under the pipes will catch any wastewater and throw down a few towels to protect the bottom of your cabinet. [2]
    • Take everything out of your under-sink cabinet if you haven’t already.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Remove a Garbage Disposal
    Locate the hose where the barbed dishwasher nipple feeds into it. Remove that hose by hand. Remove the pipe connecting the dishwasher to the side of the garbage disposal.
    • Not all garbage disposals are connected to a dishwasher so this only applies for those that are connected.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Remove a Garbage Disposal
    The p-trap is a u-shaped pipe that connects to the garbage disposal and takes the wastewater away from the disposal. Unlock it by turning the nut connecting it to the disposal with a wrench, pliers, or channel locks. [3]
    • There’s often PVC glue holding this nut tight, so you may need to use a fair bit of force to unlock the pipe.
  6. Slowly pull the p-trap out of the pipe it’s connected to and drain the water out. It shouldn’t be a ton of water, but it’ll be enough to create a mess. [4]
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Remove a Garbage Disposal
    Look at how the top of the disposal is connected to the drain. Locate the round hook openings sticking out of the mounting assembly holding it in place. Use a hex key, snap ring insert, or a flat-head screwdriver to pull those hook openings counterclockwise. Once it starts to loosen up, use your hands to fully unscrew the disposal and pull it down. [5]
    • This is probably where you’ll need to use the most elbow grease. Forcing the hook openings counterclockwise can take a lot of energy.
    • Make sure to hold the underside of the garbage disposal with your hand while removing it. They are very heavy!
    • You can put a box under the disposal to keep it from falling down and denting the cabinet if you’d like.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Remove a Garbage Disposal
    If you’re installing a new disposal and it’s the same brand as the old one, leave the mounting ring where it is—you can reuse it. Otherwise, remove the mounting assembly by loosening the three mounting screws that hold the upper and lower rings together. Remove the ring that is in a groove on the sink sleeve and then remove the sink sleeve, flange, and fiber gasket. [6]
    • The mounting assembly refers to the large ring around the underside of the sink’s drain that holds the garbage disposal up.
    • Clean out any remaining sealing gaskets, plumber's putty, or debris from the sink opening.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Plumbing the Pipes Without a Disposal

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  1. Use a pipe wrench to loosen and remove the nut securing the drain flange. Then, push the sink drain up through the sink for removal. [7]
  2. Scrape the old plumber’s putty off using a putty knife. If the putty is very hard and difficult to remove, scrape it off with a razor. After cleaning off the chunks of putty, use a scrubbing pad and water to scrub the area clean. [8]
    • If the putty is too difficult to remove, use rubbing alcohol or mineral spirits to soften the putty up.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Remove a Garbage Disposal
    Put plumber’s putty around the drain and put the drain in place. Roll out a 1 ⁄ 8  in (0.32 cm) rope of plumber’s putty and put it around the drain . The rope must be long enough to go around the circumference of the drain, but it doesn’t need to be super thick. Place it around the lip of the drain and then set the drain into the sink opening. Press the drain down firmly and wipe away excess putty. [9]
    • Unless you’re installing a brand new sink , use your old drain.
    • Use a solid amount of force to compress the plumber’s putty and put the drain in place, but don’t put all of your weight on it. If you do, you could crack the rim of the sink or the countertop.
  4. The sink drain will come with a washer if you bought a new one. If you didn’t, use the old washer. Move to the underside of the drain and place the washer around the threads and secure it with the large nut. Tighten the nut as securely as possible using tongue-and-groove pliers or a wrench. [10]
    • It may help to have someone hold the drain down from the top so it does not move around.
    • Remove excess putty after securing the drain.
  5. Screw in the straight pipe that leads down from your sink. This pipe must be long enough that it is at the same level as the drain pipe in the wall. Hand-tighten the tailpiece to the sink drain to secure the piece. [11]
    • Do not over-tighten any of the pipes. If they’re secure, it’s fine.
  6. The p-trap is the rounded pipe that leaves a little bit of water in the system to prevent fumes from coming up through the drainage system. Attach the p-trap to the tailpipe and point the trap towards the drain in the wall. Use the nut to tighten the pieces together by hand, but don’t tighten it all the way. You may need a bit of wiggle room if you need to line the last pipe up with the sink drain. [12]
  7. Use the connector pipe to connect the p-trap piece to the T-fitting on the adjacent sink if there is one. If there isn’t, connect the p-trap to the drain pipe in the wall. Use the nuts and washers provided with your pipes to secure the pieces together using the tongue-and-groove pliers.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Replacing the Disposal

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  1. The rubber seal will usually come with your new disposal. Just wrap it around the flange and then put the drain flange in the drain hole. [13]
    • Use plumber’s putty if your disposal does not include a rubber seal.
    • Make sure you turn the water off at the supply lines before you get started.
    • Purchase the same garbage disposal you had before just to keep things simple. This way, you can use the same mounting ring.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Remove a Garbage Disposal
    Attach the metal backup ring to the drain. Use another of the provided seals on the drain flange on the underside of the sink. Attach the metal backup ring flat side up by pushing over the underside of the drain flange underneath the sink. [14]
    • If you’re using plumber’s putty, roll it into a snake-like shape and place it around the drain.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Remove a Garbage Disposal
    Loosely attach the mounting ring with three screws. Then, secure the mounting ring with the snap ring, which snaps into place. Finally, tighten the three screws to make sure the assembly is tight and even. [15]
    • The mounting bracket is now attached and ready for the new garbage disposal.
  4. Turn the disposal upside down and shake it to remove anything inside. Remove the electrical plate and pull the wires away from the disposal. Screw the strain relief sleeve into place and feed the electrical wires through it into the disposal. [16]
    • If you are connecting the disposal to a dishwasher, remove the knock out plug using a hammer and screwdriver.
  5. Make sure the power is shut off at the fuse box. Then, connect the ground wire to the green screw on the disposal. Splice the white wires to white wires and the black wires to black. Secure the connections with wire nuts and tighten the strain relief sleeve. Replace the cover plate on the disposal.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Remove a Garbage Disposal
    Lift up the disposal and push it into the mounting bracket. Then turn the locking ring until all three hook housing pins catch. Tighten the locking ring as far as possible, using slip-joint pliers, a screwdriver, or a hex key to finish tightening. You may or may not hear the pins snap into place. [17]
    • Tug on the garbage disposal once it’s installed on locking ring. Does it move? If so, it’s not tight enough. If it doesn’t move when you pull on it, it’s installed correctly.
  7. Attach the pipes to the drain in the wall. Connect a 90-degree disposal drainpipe to the disposal, p-trap, and tailpiece to the sink. Tighten the pipes together using PVC nuts. Use straight pipes and a T-fitting to connect both drains into one line and route the drainpipes into the main drain. If there isn’t a second drain, connect the tailpiece to the side of the disposal and use a flexible length of PVC to hook up the p-trap underneath it. Then, run a pipe from the p-trap to the drainpipe in the wall. [18]
    • So long as the p-trap drops below the drain pipe in the wall, you should be good.
    • Dry fit the pieces together at first just so you have a sense for how the pipes go together.
    • Connect the pipes using PVC glue on both the outside of the pipe and inside of the fitting. PVC glue will melt the material a little to give a strong weld.
  8. Dishwashers must drain through a disposal if you’re installing one. Connect the pipe to the disposal at the spot where you knocked out a plug previously using a drain hose.
    • Just use the old drain hose. If you were doing this from scratch, you’d need to pull out the dishwasher and install a new drain line if you didn’t have one, but since you had an old disposal, you’re good to go.
  9. Turn the water back on at the supply line. Then, turn the handle on the sink and let water run through the pipes for a few minutes to ensure nothing leaks. This will prevent a small mistake from turning into a huge mold or water damage problem later. [19]
    • If you do have a leak, turn the water back off, check the pipe connection, and re-tighten as needed.
  10. Watermark wikiHow to Remove a Garbage Disposal
    Plug the disposal back into the wall. Flip the circuit switch back on at the electrical service panel to power up the disposal. Test your garbage disposal to confirm that everything works correctly.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Why does water leak from the bottom of the disposal?
    Community Answer
    If the source is not a connection from above then your disposal needs to be replaced. Try cupping your hands around the very top under the sink while running water. The ring that seals the gasket turns clockwise to tighten. The only other repairable leak would be where the piping comes out the side. There can also be a smaller dishwasher drain hose above that.
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  • Question
    Can I remove a garbage disposal and add a hose that goes to the sewer in its place?
    Community Answer
    You need to replace it with a strainer basket assembly, tailpipe and additional piping to meet up with the existing piping. The trap or U bend is essential to prevent sewer gas from backing up into your home.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 10
  • Question
    Where do I attach the dishwasher hose once I have removed the garbage disposal? Does it have to be fed just before the pipe goes into the wall?
    Community Answer
    No, there are special tailpipes with a fitting for this. Bypassing the trap can allow sewer gas into your home.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Warnings

      • Never put your hand down the drain into the disposal. There are a lot of sharp blades inside of the disposal’s housing and they can cut you even when the disposal is off. [20]
        Thanks
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      Things You'll Need

      • Pipe wrench, adjustable wrench, or tongue and groove pliers
      • Bucket
      • Screwdriver
      • Putty knife
      • Plastic scouring pad
      • Drain pipe, elbow piece, and connector pipe

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      References

      1. ↑ https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/8a/8acbd5bd-4434-41bd-a11e-285fe5e6b2fc.pdf
      2. ↑ https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/8a/8acbd5bd-4434-41bd-a11e-285fe5e6b2fc.pdf
      3. ↑ https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/8a/8acbd5bd-4434-41bd-a11e-285fe5e6b2fc.pdf
      4. ↑ https://support.insinkerator.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/576/~/installing-a-replacement-garbage-disposal
      5. ↑ https://support.insinkerator.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/576/~/installing-a-replacement-garbage-disposal
      6. ↑ https://support.insinkerator.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/576/~/installing-a-replacement-garbage-disposal
      7. ↑ https://www.oatey.com/resources/project-guides/set-up-bathroom-sink
      8. ↑ https://support.insinkerator.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/576/~/installing-a-replacement-garbage-disposal
      9. ↑ https://www.oatey.com/resources/project-guides/set-up-bathroom-sink
      1. ↑ https://www.oatey.com/resources/project-guides/set-up-bathroom-sink
      2. ↑ https://www.oatey.com/resources/project-guides/set-up-bathroom-sink
      3. ↑ https://www.oatey.com/resources/project-guides/set-up-bathroom-sink
      4. ↑ https://xoappliance.com/media/manuals/XODinstructionSheet2017NEW.pdf
      5. ↑ https://xoappliance.com/media/manuals/XODinstructionSheet2017NEW.pdf
      6. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/plumbing/22291774/how-to-install-a-garbage-disposal
      7. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/plumbing/22291774/how-to-install-a-garbage-disposal
      8. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/plumbing/22291774/how-to-install-a-garbage-disposal
      9. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/plumbing/22291774/how-to-install-a-garbage-disposal
      10. ↑ https://legacyplumbing.net/blog/how-to-find-a-leak-under-the-kitchen-sink/
      11. ↑ https://xoappliance.com/media/manuals/XODinstructionSheet2017NEW.pdf

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To remove a garbage disposal, first flip the breaker on the fuse box for your garbage disposal and unplug it from the wall to cut off the electricity. Then, turn the water off under your sink by turning the handles on the supply lines all the way to the left. Place a paint tray or deep baking sheet under your disposal to catch any water that spills out. Next, unscrew the nut that connects you pipe to the trap where waste is shredded. Turn this nut by hand, or use channel locks to loosen it. Once the nut is loose, slide the pipe out of the garbage disposal. If you have a dishwasher line running to the trap, use a flathead screwdriver to loosen the collar-clamp securing the line to the trap. Pull the dishwasher line out and empty it into your paint tray or sheet pan. With your pipe and dishwasher line disconnected, inspect the top of the trap where it connects to your sink. Look for a hook or loop sticking out of the metal piece that connects the sink to the garbage disposal. Use your thumb to carefully slide this hook to the left. If you cannot move the hook, get a hex wrench and insert the short end into the opening of the hook. Use the hex wrench to push the hook to the left. Keep one hand under the garbage disposal while you’re doing this because the hook is the only piece keeping your disposal attached to the sink. Once you’ve slid the hook all the way to the left, the garbage disposal will pop right off and you can discard or recycle it. To learn how to install a new garbage disposal, scroll down!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • Joe S.

        Mar 4, 2017

        "Getting new countertops. Had to remove the old one, which required taking out the garbage disposal. I have to say, ..." more
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