Why is My Dishwasher Not Draining?

No-one wishes to open their dishwasher and discover it hasn’t emptied properly but, try not to panic just yet. You might have the means to deal with the fault by yourself, without having to call a repair person or purchase a brand-new dishwasher.

Your dishwasher failing to empty may have any number of of causes a proportion of which can be easy to deal with. So, in advance of calling a dishwasher repair service here is a selection of potential issues you can troubleshoot yourself. Some of which aren’t even a fault of the dishwasher itself.

Ensure the cycle wasn’t cut short

If you’re fortunate the fact your dishwasher hasn’t drained may not be a problem at all. Rather, the cycle could have been cut short.

The program may have been interrupted for any number of of reasons. Little fingers pushing buttons, accidentally pushing against the controls, a power surge or opening the machine mid-cycle could all prevent the cycle from completing and mean your dishwasher doesn’t drain.

If you believe this may be the case, or you just want to be sure it’s not the issue start the machine again on a quick cycle.

A proportion machines could have an empty function so it’s worthwhile consulting your instructions or consulting google to check.

Examine the garbage disposal

If you have a disposal examine this before you move on as an obstructed garbage disposal will stop the machine from emptying. Run the waste disposal using fast running water to check there are no blockages.

If you do uncover a blockage drain cleaner or a natural alternative could be used to unclog the blockage and so this might deal with the error.

Inspect the sink waste for issues

If you sink is emptying reluctantly this could indicate an issue with the plumbing as opposed to an issue with your machine.

In the case that the sink is draining reluctantly you may try putting some bicarbonate of soda and vinegar down the plughole, leaving it for a while, then rinsing it away with boiling water.

A plunger might also be used to attempt to dislodge the blockage.

This may be sufficient to allow your machine to work again so run a quick rinse and drain cycle now. If this hasn’t solved the problem you may remove the dirty water by hand using a jug and also a towel and check a few more likely causes.

Make sure you turn off the dishwasher to stay safe.

If during one of these checks you believe you may have found and repaired the fault there is no need to continue to the next step. Just start an empty cycle to ensure the dishwasher is now emptying as it should.

Check and clean the filters

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

Take out the filter then scrub it thoroughly before replacing it. Not all filters are obvious and simple to remove so you may need to look at the manual for this.

Is the waste pipe obstructed?

The next component to check is the waste hose. Stuck food, a kink in the hose or a crushed hose could all prevent your dishwasher from emptying.

Depending on the location of the hose (generally the ribbed one) you may be able to look at it simply by removing the base alternatively you could need to pull the dishwasher away from the wall.

Have a look at the hose in the first instance to find out if there are any kinks or it’s been squashed. You might be able to manually remove any kinks which will most likely fix the issue, but be aware that when this has occurred it is much more likely to happen again so you might wish to purchase a replacement hose.

If you can’t see any obvious kinks or obstructions you may disconnect the waste pipe from the machine and blow into it to check for any blockages. Make sure you put down newspaper or towels before you remove the hose as there may still be dirty water in the hose.

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

Remove the other end of the hose and then give it a good clean to get rid of the blockage. If you are unable to dislodge the obstruction or the waste pipe is slit or damaged buy a brand-new one. If you may clear the obstruction then replace the hose and start a short program to make sure you have fixed the problem.

You may also check where the waste pipe attaches to the waste disposal. This is a typical point for blockages to occur so if you do remove the hose give this connection a good clean as well.

Examine the drain valve

You could manually examine the drain valve to ensure it hasn’t got stuck. The drain valve will generally be situated in the bottom of the dishwasher on the valve bracket. Check your instruction manual if you’re not sure.

Depressing the valve or wiggling it a bit should be enough to find out if it’s seized. If you can see an object stopping it from moving remove this. If you can’t, this might be when you should get in touch with a plumber unless you are confident in ordering and replacing the component on your own.

Check your pump is not blocked

Your dishwasher pump uses impellers that may get obstructed by pieces of glass or other debris. Check your impellers aren’t blocked by removing the cover and ensuring that the impellers can be easily rotated.

Run your dishwasher and listen for any unusual noises

If the dishwasher sounds unusual your dishwasher pump or motor may be faulty and need replacing.

Call a plumber

If none of the above examinations has repaired the issue, or you think the pump, pump valve or motor are damaged, it could be a good time to get the professionals.

This way though you will at least be able to give them more information and have managed to avoid needing to pay a big repair charge for a clogged filter.