Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one is happy to open their machine and discover it hasn’t emptied properly but, don’t lose it just yet. You might be able to fix the issue by yourself, without having to call a plumber or invest in a brand-new machine.

Standing water in your dishwasher can have a number of of causes a proportion of which can be simple to rectify. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service try this list of possible components you may identify on your own. Some of which aren’t even a fault of the dishwasher itself.

Ensure the dishwasher wasn’t interrupted mid-cycle

It is possible that there is nothing preventing your machine from draining. Rather, the program may have been cut short.

The program might have been stopped mid-way for multiple of reasons. Children pushing controls, accidentally leaning on the control panel, a power outage or opening the dishwasher mid-cycle might all stop the cycle from completing and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.

If you think this might be the situation, or you think it might be a good idea to check run your dishwasher again on a short program.

Some machines might have a drain capacity meaning it’s worth checking your instructions or checking online to check.

Inspect the disposal

If you have a waste disposal check this before you do anything else as a blocked disposal will block the dishwasher from draining. Turn on the garbage disposal using lots of water to check there are no issues.

If you do discover a blockage drain unclogger or a natural alternative may be sought after to remove the obstruction and so this might deal with the issue.

Inspect the sink for clogs

If you kitchen sink is emptying reluctantly this could suggest an issue with the drains instead of a problem with your machine.

If the kitchen sink is emptying inefficiently you can attempt putting a little bicarb and white vinegar down the plughole, leaving it for a few minutes and then rinsing it away with boiling water.

A plunger might also be utilized to attempt to dislodge the obstruction.

This might be all you need to do to allow the dishwasher to drain so run a short rinse and drain program now. If this hasn’t sorted the issue you can manually empty the dishwasher using a jug and a towel and check a few more areas.

At this point make sure you unplug the machine to stay safe.

If in the process of one of these examinations you think you have found and fixed the error there is no need to continue to the next step. Just run an empty program to ensure your machine is fixed.

Inspect and wash the filters

Any number of things could block the filters including corn kernels, labels from tupperware, plastic film covers and smashed glass. Clear glass can also be difficult to spot if you aren’t looking for it.

Remove the filter then wash it thoroughly before putting it back in place. Not all filters are obvious and simple to remove so you could need to consult the manual for this.

Is the drain pipe blocked?

The next area to examine is the waste water hose. Stuck food, a kink in the hose or a crushed hose may all stop your machine from draining.

Contingent upon the position of the waste pipe (generally the corrugated one) you may manage look at it simply by removing the base alternatively you might be required to move the machine away from under the counter.

Visually inspect the hose in the first instance to see if it has been crushed or kinked. You could be able to manually straighten out any kinks which will most likely resolve the issue, however, it’s worth noting that when this has happened the probability of it occurring again is greatly increased so you could need to purchase a replacement hose.

If you can’t see anything you may take off the waste hose from the dishwasher and blow into it to figure out if there are any blockages. Be sure to line the floor with newspaper or towels first as there could still be water in the pipe.

If you are unable to blow air through the waste hose this may be the issue.

Take off the hose at the sink end and then give it a thorough flush through to get rid of the obstruction. If you are unable to dislodge the blockage or the waste hose is slit or damaged purchase a new one. If you can clear the obstruction then put the hose back and run a quick program to double check that you have fixed the issue.

You could also inspect where the waste hose attaches to the waste disposal as well. This is a typical spot for a build-up of gunk so if you do remove the waste hose give this connection a good clean as well.

Check the drain valve

You can manually check the drain valve to check it hasn’t got stuck. The drain valve will usually be located in the bottom of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Check your instructions if you’re not sure.

Depressing the valve or wiggling it a bit will likely be adequate to tell you if it’s stuck. If you can see an object stopping it from moving carefully extract this. If you can’t, this could be the right time to get in touch with a repair person unless you are undaunted by purchasing and repairing the valve yourself.

Check your pump is not blocked

Your appliance pump uses impellers that may get blocked by broken china or other objects. Check your pump isn’t obstructed by removing the safety cover and ensuring that the impellers can be easily rotated.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s on

If your dishwasher is making funny noises your dishwasher pump or motor may be faulty and need replacing.

Call a plumber

If you have been through the above list and the issue remains, or you think the pump, pump valve or motor are not working, it may be a good time to call for help.

At least having done your best to fix the problem yourself you have prevented needing to pay a hefty repair fee for a blocked drain.