Some of the reasons why a garbage disposal gets clogged include food or debris thrown into it which stops and prevents the fly wheel from moving and doing its job. The fly wheel is the mechanism that spins and grinds the food inside the disposal. Here are some tips on how to unclog garbage disposal. Before anything else you have to make sure you have all the materials and equipment needed to do the job. You need a hex-head wrench, a flashlight and a broom handle or a wooden spoon.You need to turn off the power of the disposal before you start working on it. This is for both ease and safety purposes.