Okay so my trash cleaning machine started acting up again last week, making this awful grinding noise every time it tried to crush something. Real annoying, right? Figured I might as well roll up my sleeves and give it a proper look since calling someone always takes forever and costs an arm and a leg.

The Noise Investigation

First thing I did was just listen real close while it was running. Yeah, definitely a grinding, kinda metal-on-metal sound. Unplugged the whole thing – safety first! Didn’t wanna lose a finger messing around. Pulled out the bin part, which was pretty gross, gotta say. Found some weird gunk stuck down in the bottom where the blades spin.

What I did next:

• Got some thick rubber gloves on. Seriously, you don't wanna touch that mess bare-handed.
• Took a flashlight and peered into the blade chamber. Real tight space, kinda hard to see.
• Spotted a chunk of... something... bone maybe? Or plastic? Jammed right near one of the blades.
• Tried poking at it with some long pliers I had. Couldn't get a good grip.
• Finally grabbed a wooden chopstick (don't laugh, it worked!) and kinda wiggled it loose.

Deep Dive Cleanup

Getting that big chunk out helped, but the grinding sound only got quieter, not gone. Knew there was more gunk in there. Pulled out the screwdriver to actually take off the blade assembly. Was kinda nervous, honestly, never done this bit before.

The Dirty Details:

• Undid about six screws around the blade housing. They were on pretty tight, took some muscle.
• Carefully lifted the whole blade unit out. Man, it stank! And sticky stuff everywhere.
• Started wiping everything down with paper towels dipped in warm, soapy water. Took ages.
• Soaked the blades themselves in a vinegar-water mix in a bowl for like 20 minutes.
• Used an old toothbrush to scrub all the dried-on bits off the blades and the housing.
• Finally rinsed everything super well and dried it all off thoroughly with a clean cloth.

Putting Humpty Dumpty Back Together

Reassembly time! Was careful putting the blades and housing back – made sure everything lined up right and screwed everything back tight. Didn't wanna leave anything loose to rattle around. Slid the bin back in, plugged it in, and held my breath as I pushed the button.

Whaddya know? Ran smooth as butter! No grinding, just the normal hum and crunch. Felt pretty smug saving myself that repair bill. Moral of the story? Get in there and clean the gunk out regularly! Don't wait for the noise. Takes maybe half an hour tops, and your machine will run way longer. Easy win!