Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one is happy to open their machine and discover standing water but, don’t overreact just yet. You might manage solve the error before you have to call a plumber or buy a new machine.

Your dishwasher declining to drain may be bought about by multiple things a proportion of which are simple to solve. Therefore, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service here is a selection of potential things you could identify on your own. A few of which are not even caused by the machine itself.

Check the cycle wasn’t cut short

If you’re fortunate the standing water you have discovered may not be a fault at all. Alternatively, the cycle may have been stopped mid-way.

The cycle may have been cut short for multiple of reasons. Children pushing controls, accidentally pushing on the buttons, a power outage or opening the machine mid-program could all prevent the cycle from completing and mean your machine doesn’t empty.

If you think this may be the case, or you feel it may be a good idea to check start the dishwasher again on a quick program.

A few dishwashers could have an empty function so it’s worth checking your owners manual or consulting google to find out.

Inspect the disposal

If your dishwasher is connected to the disposal examine this before you do anything else as an obstructed waste disposal will block the machine from emptying. Turn on the waste disposal with lots of water to check there are no issues.

If you do uncover a blockage drain un-blocker or a natural alternative may be used to unclog the blockage and this may deal with the error.

Check the sink for issues

If you kitchen sink is draining slowly this could signify a plumbing issue as opposed to an error with your dishwasher.

In the case that the kitchen sink is draining inefficiently you could attempt putting a little bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar down the plughole, letting it sit for a few minutes and then rinsing it away with hot water.

A plunger may also be used to try and dislodge the blockage.

This might be all you need to do to allow the dishwasher to drain so run a quick rinse and empty cycle at this point. If not you can manually remove the standing water using a bowl and also a sponge and have a look at the next few possible issues.

Make sure you unplug the machine to avoid electrocution.

If during any one of these checks you suspect you have discovered and fixed the issue there is no need to continue to the next step. Just complete an empty program to ensure your dishwasher is now draining as it used to.

Inspect and clean the filters

Popcorn, labels from containers, plastic lids and broken glass, as well as scraps of food, can all obstruct the machine filter. Clear plastic lids may also be difficult to see if you don’t look closely.

Remove the filter then scrub it thoroughly before putting it back in place. Not all filters are obvious and easy to remove so you could need to refer to the owners manual for this.

Is the waste pipe obstructed?

The next place to examine is the drain pipe. Stuck food, a kink in the hose or a crushed hose can all prevent your dishwasher from emptying.

Depending on the location of the hose (normally the ribbed one) you may have the means to view it by removing the kick plate alternatively you could have to move the machine away from the wall.

Look at the pipe in the first instance to discover if it has been squashed or kinked. You may manage fix these issues by hand which will most likely solve the issue, but it’s worth noting that once this has occurred the probability of it happening again is significantly increased so you could need to order a new hose.

If you can’t see anything you may disconnect the waste pipe from the machine and blow through it to discover any blockages. Be sure to put down newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as there may still be waste water in the pipe.

If you are unable to blow air through the hose this might be the problem.

Take off the hose at the sink end in order to give it a good flush through to get rid of the blockage. If you are unable to remove the obstruction or the waste hose is cracked or degraded invest in a brand-new one. If you can remove the obstruction then put the hose back and start a short cycle to double check that you have fixed the issue.

You could also examinethe point where the waste pipe attaches under your sink. This is a likely point for a build-up of gunk so if you do take off the hose give this connection a thorough clean as well.

Examine the drain valve

You can check the drain valve by hand to check it hasn’t stopped working. The drain valve will generally be found at the base of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Consult your manual if you’re unsure.

Depressing the valve or giving it a jiggle should be enough to tell you if it’s seized. If you can see an object blocking it carefully extract this. If you are unable to, this might be when you should ring a repair person unless you are happy in purchasing and replacing the valve on your own.

Examine your pump is not broken

Your water pump uses impellers that could become blocked by broken china or other debris. Check your pump isn’t broken by taking off the safety cover and making sure the impellers can be easily rotated.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s on

If the dishwasher sounds unusual your pump or motor could be damaged and need replacing.

Call a repair person

If none of the above examinations has repaired the error, or you have reason to believe the pump, pump valve or motor are damaged, it may be time to get the professionals.

At least having done your best to troubleshoot you have prevented needing to pay a big call-out fee for a clogged filter.

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