Had a similar issue a while back—turned out a small coin had somehow slipped in there. Took ages to figure it out because it was wedged just right, making the blades jam intermittently. I'd definitely agree with the flashlight tip, but I'd also suggest using one of those telescoping magnetic pickup tools. Saved me from dismantling the whole thing... Still wondering how that coin got there, though.
Had a similar mystery myself, but mine turned out to be a random screw—still no clue where it came from. Couple thoughts:
- Magnetic tools are handy, but not everything down there is magnetic (like plastic bits or glass shards). Might still need to fish around manually.
- Anyone else skeptical about how stuff even gets in there? I mean, coins, screws...are we sleepwalking and dropping random junk down the drain or what?
Makes me wonder if sink gremlins are a thing after all...
I've had my share of mystery sink items too—once found a tiny Lego helmet down there. No kids in the house, so figure that one out. Anyway, magnetic tools are great, but like you said, they won't catch everything. I'd recommend unplugging the disposal (safety first!) and using a flashlight and some needle-nose pliers to fish around manually. Tedious, but effective. And yeah...gremlins might explain a lot more than just sink issues around here.
Good call on the needle-nose pliers, but before you go fishing around manually, try resetting the disposal first—there's usually a small red reset button underneath. Sometimes that clears up weird noises without the hassle of digging around...though it won't help with gremlins.
Resetting is a good first step, but if the weird noises persist after that, I'd suggest checking for foreign objects lodged inside. Even small things like bottle caps or broken glass pieces can cause grinding issues. Make sure the disposal is completely powered off at the breaker before reaching in there—better safe than sorry. If nothing obvious turns up, it could be dull blades or worn bearings...in which case, replacement might be your best bet.
