Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s always annoying to open the dishwasher and discover the machine hasn’t emptied fully, try not to lose it just yet. You might have the means to deal with the issue without having to call a plumber or buy a new machine.

Your machine refusing to drain may be bought about by any number of components a proportion of which are simple to fix. Therefore, before you call a dishwasher repair service try this lineup of possible issues you may identify on your own. Some of which are not even a fault of the machine itself.

Ensure the cycle wasn’t interrupted

If you’re fortunate the fact your dishwasher hasn’t emptied may not be a problem at all. Alternatively, the cycle could have been stopped mid-way.

The program could have been cut short for a number of of reasons. Little fingers pressing buttons, inadvertently pushing against the controls, a power outage or opening the machine mid-cycle might all interrupt the cycle and mean your machine doesn’t drain.

If you suspect this could be the situation, or you just want to be sure it’s not the issue run the machine again on a quick program.

Some machines may have an empty cycle meaning it’s well worth having a look at your manual or checking online to make sure.

Check the disposal

If you have a disposal inspect this before you do anything else as an obstructed garbage disposal will block the dishwasher from emptying. Turn on the waste disposal with fast running water to ensure there are no issues.

If you do find an obstruction drain cleaner or a natural alternative could be used to clear the blockage and this might resolve the problem.

Examine the sink waste for blockages

If you kitchen sink is emptying inefficiently this might suggest a plumbing issue instead of an error with your dishwasher.

If the kitchen sink is draining slowly you may try putting a little bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar down the plughole, leaving it for a few minutes, then rinsing it through with hot water.

A sink plunger may also be employed to attempt to remove the obstruction.

This could be all you need to do to permit the dishwasher to work again so start a short rinse and empty program now. If not you can remove the standing water by hand using a bowl and a towel and have a look at a few more likely causes.

Make sure you unplug the dishwasher to stay safe.

If during any of these examinations you believe you have found and solved the error you don’t have to go through the remaining issues. Just start an empty program to make sure your machine is now emptying as it should.

Check and rinse the filters

Corn Kernels, labels from jars, plastic covers and smashed glass, plus scraps of food, may all block the dishwasher filter. Clear glass can also be hard to see if you aren’t looking for it.

Take out the filter then give it a good wash before putting it back in place. Not all filters are obvious and easy to remove so you might need to look at the instructions for this.

Is the waste hose blocked?

The next component to check is the drain hose. Stuck food, a kink in the hose or a crushed hose may all prevent your dishwasher from draining.

Depending on the position of the hose (usually the ribbed one) you may manage look at it by lifting away the kick plate or you could have to move the dishwasher out from under the counter.

Look at the pipe first to discover if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You might manage fix these issues by hand which should rectify the issue, however, be aware that when this has happened the chance of it happening again is significantly increased so you could need to order a replacement hose.

If you are unable to see any obvious kinks or obstructions you can take off the waste hose from the pump and blow through it to figure out if there are any blockages. Make sure you put down newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as even if you have emptied the machine there might still be water in the hose.

If you can’t blow air through the hose this could be the problem.

Disconnect the other end of the hose and then give it a good flush through to clear the blockage. If you are unable to remove the blockage or the hose is slit or degraded invest in a brand-new one. If you may get rid of the blockage then put the hose back and run a quick cycle to find out if you have repaired the fault.

You could also examinethe point where the hose attaches to the sink as well. This is a common place for debris to build up so if you do remove the waste pipe give this area a thorough scrub as well.

Examine the drain valve

You may examine the drain valve by hand to make sure it hasn’t got stuck. The drain valve will generally be found in the bottom of the machine on the valve bracket. Check your owners manual if you can’t see it.

Pressing down on the valve or wiggling it a bit will likely be enough to let you know if it’s seized. If you are able to see an object blocking it remove this. If you can’t, this might be when you should get in touch with a repair person unless you are confident in procuring and swapping out the part on your own.

Examine your pump is not blocked

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

Run your machine and listen for any unusual sounds

If your dishwasher is making funny noises your pump or motor could be broken and need replacing.

Call a repair person

If you have been through the above list and the issue persists, or you have reason to believe the pump, pump valve or motor are broken, it might be the right time to get the professionals.

At least having tried to troubleshoot you have managed to avoid needing to pay a hefty repair charge for a clogged filter.

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