First unplug and remove the old disposal.  Take the new disposal of its packaging.  Turn the old disposal upside down.  There will be a silver plate, remove the screws and take this off.  You will see a few wires.  The first to remove is the grounding wire.  This one is typically green and will be screwed into an area close to the middle of your disposal near the top where you took the plate off.  Unscrew the screw and you will notice that the top of the green wiring is a circle shape. 

Next you will have a red and a black wire attached to either another red and black or a smooth black wire and a ridged black wire. (Note: in older models and some new the wires will be white and black as white usually indicated the “neutral” wire and black the “hot” wire.)  Unscrew the orange wire connector that holds the two together by twisting to the left (usually, this can be the other way if it was previously installed incorrectly).  Untangle the wires.   Save the orange wire in a Tupperware for use in your new disposal.  Make sure to write yourself a note on if red was attached to smooth or ridged black if the cord wires weren’t colored.  You need to make sure it attaches identically when putting into your new disposal or the wires can fry. 

Feel inside where the plug goes into the disposal.  This can come apart in two ways.  One way is it just pops or pulls out.  For some they pop out by simply pushing, for others you need to pull.  Try pushing first as this is the typical way of insertion.  The second way is for it to actually be inserted using a round silver attachment which has ridges inside and you needed to unscrew it by twisting to the left.  Keep the silver part is that is how it was attached.  In newer models there are screws clamping the plug place you will have to unscrew.  Now feed the green, red and black (smooth black and ridge black wires) through the hole the plug went into the disposal from.  (NOTE:  there will also be a black and red wire attached to the disposal itself so only the pair attached to the plug cord comes out)

You are done removing the plug from your old disposal. 

Take your new disposal and turn it upside down.  Remove the silver plate by unscrewing it and make sure not to lose your screw by putting them into a Tupperware container with the silver plate. Find the screw inside near the middle of your opening.  Take note of this since this is where you’re grounding wire will attach.  Locate inside your disposal the red and black or smooth black and ridge black wires.

Using the same method that you removed the plug, thread inside the cord hole the green, red, and black wires. Push, pull, or using the silver screw removed from the old disposal screw in your cord. Don’t forget to use the screw clam to keep the cords in place.  It should just twist on to the disposal hole.  First attach your green wire with the circle on the end to the screw you noted above.  The circle should be placed over the screw hole and attached securely that way. 

Now for the current wires.  Attach red to red by smoothing the wires placing next to each other and twisting on the orange wire connector saved from above.  If you didn’t have colored wires on your cord, use your note made above when disconnecting the old disposal to guide you and which wire to connect to which.  If it’s a new cord kit and new disposal, just remember to connect like wires (smooth to smooth, etc).  Push all wires into the disposal lightly and recover the hole with the silver plate and screws. 

Your disposal is now re-wired and ready for installation!  Congrats!

Abby Billings is a daycare provider, mom to 2 under 3, mom to 3 fur-babies, Etsy shop owner,mom blogger, and avid home department shopper!