If you’ve gone to open your dishwasher after a cycle and notice that you have a smelly and stale puddle at the bottom of your unit, you’re not the first. It’s very common for dishwashers not to drain completely, as it’s very easy for the mechanisms that provide draining to be impeded.
We’ve put together a short guide on what to do if your dishwasher isn’t draining and get it back to tip-top condition.
- Run a second dishwashing cycle, as the first cycle may have been interrupted and not complete its full draining process.
- If your dishwasher still isn’t draining after a second cycle, the problem will be with your dishwasher. The first thing to check is your dishwasher’s filter. Filters are there to prevent excess debris from entering the water pipes and creating a bigger clog. Filters are easily enough to be removed and clean.
- Locate your filter, which can be found at the bottom of the machine, underneath the lower sprayer arm. Twist the cylindrical filter to release the filter from the dishwasher. Lift the mesh filter plate and inspect for any damages and pieces of debris.
- Run the filter pieces under some water to wash away any debris and grease. You may wish to use hot soapy water and a cloth for extra tough grime.
- Replace the filter and fill up the dishwasher as usual. When it’s time for another cycle, make sure to check if the drainage problem is still an issue.
If you’ve cleaned the filter and are still having drainage issues with your dishwasher, the next place to look is the drain hose, which is located under the sink, and connected to the same drain line as the kitchen sink.
It is very unlikely that you will find big pieces of food debris in the drainage hose, as it would have to pass through the filter. However, that doesn’t mean there can’t be a build of debris over time. To clean the drain hose, make sure the dishwasher is off and disconnect the hose from the drain line and tip it into a receptacle like a bowl. You may need to use a long instrument such as a chopstick or knitting needle to agitate the clog.
Lastly, if you’ve checked the previous two methods and are still experiencing drainage issues, it’s possible that the drain pump is damaged. A drain pump can easily be blocked by debris such as food and foreign objects like broken glass.
