Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

Although it’s never a pleasant sight to open your dishwasher and find out it is still full of water, try not to overreact just yet. You might be able to solve the issue without having to call a plumber or invest in a new machine.

Your dishwasher declining to drain can be induced by any number of issues a few of which can be easy to rectify. So, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service try this selection of possible issues you may troubleshoot by yourself. A few of which aren’t even related to the dishwasher itself.

Ensure the dishwasher wasn’t stopped mid-cycle

It is possible that there is nothing preventing your dishwasher from emptying. Alternatively, the cycle might have been interrupted.

The cycle could have been stopped mid-way for a number of of reasons. Kids pushing controls, mistakenly pressing on the buttons, a power cut or opening the machine mid-cycle may all prevent the program from completing and mean your machine doesn’t drain.

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

Some dishwashers might have an empty capacity meaning it’s worthwhile consulting your instruction manual or consulting google to make sure.

Inspect the waste disposal

If you have a garbage disposal inspect this before you do anything else as a blocked waste disposal will stop the dishwasher from emptying. Turn on the disposal using lots of water to make sure there are no issues.

If you do uncover an issue drain unclogger or a natural alternative can be used to remove the blockage and so this might fix the issue.

Check the sink for clogs

If you kitchen sink is emptying inefficiently this could indicate an issue with the plumbing instead of a problem with your machine.

If the kitchen sink is emptying reluctantly you can attempt putting a little bicarb and vinegar down the drain, leaving it for a while, then washing it through with boiling water.

A sink plunger may also be used to try and remove the obstruction.

This may be enough to permit the dishwasher to empty so start a short cycle to check. If not you may manually remove the dirty water using a cup and also a towel and troubleshoot a few more possible issues.

Make certain to disconnect the machine to stay safe.

If in the process of any of these checks you think you have detected and repaired the fault you don’t have to go through the remaining steps. Just complete an empty program to make sure your machine is repaired.

Check and wash the filters

Any number of things could block the filters including popcorn, labels from tupperware, plastic lids and broken glass. Clear film can also be hard to spot if you don’t look closely.

Take out the filter then clean it thoroughly before putting it back in place. Not all filters are obvious and straightforward to remove so you might need to consult the instructions for this.

Is the drain hose obstructed?

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

Subject to the location of the waste hose (generally the corrugated one) you might manage inspect it simply by lifting away the kick board alternatively you might be required to pull the machine away from the wall.

Visually examine the pipe first to discover if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You could have the means to manually straighten out any kinks which is likely to rectify the issue, but be aware that once this has occurred it is much more likely to happen again so you might need to purchase a spare hose.

If you are unable to find any obvious kinks or obstructions you could take off the waste pipe from the pump and blow through it to figure out if there are any blockages. Be sure to put down newspaper or towels first as there might still be water in the hose.

If you are unable to blow through the pipe this could be the issue.

Remove the other end of the hose and then give it a thorough clean to remove the blockage. If you can’t shift the blockage or the waste pipe is split or worn purchase a new one. If you could remove the blockage then put the hose back and run a short cycle to find out if you have solved the error.

You can also examine where the waste pipe attaches to the sink. This is a typical place for debris to build up so if you do take off the waste hose give this connection a good scrub as well.

Check the drain valve

You could examine the drain valve by hand to make sure it hasn’t got stuck. The drain valve will most often be found in the bottom of the machine on the valve bracket. Examine your owners manual if you’re not sure.

Pushing down on the valve or giving it a jiggle should be sufficient to let you know if it’s stuck. If you can see an object blocking it remove this. If you can’t, this may be the right time to get in touch with a plumber unless you are undaunted by procuring and swapping out the valve on your own.

Inspect your pump is not broken

Your water pump makes use of impellers that may get obstructed by broken glass or other objects. Check your impellers aren’t blocked by removing the safety cover and making sure the impellers can be easily rotated.

Listen to your dishwasher while it’s on

If it sounds unusual your pump or motor could be damaged and need to be repaired.

Call a plumber

If you have been through the above list and the error remains, or you have reason to believe the pump, pump valve or motor are broken, it could be the moment you need to call in the professionals.

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