Common Dishwasher Drain Issues
If you’ve ever opened your dishwasher and found a puddle of dirty water at the bottom, it could be because your dishwasher isn’t draining properly. Before you reach for the phone and call a plumber, there are a few things you can try to get your dishwasher draining properly again.
Run It Again
Unless you’re absolutely sure that your dishwasher isn’t draining properly, the first thing you should try is running it again. Sometimes, if it gets shut off in the middle of its cycle, it will leave standing water at the bottom — even if the dishwasher drain is otherwise unclogged. However, if you’ve run your dishwasher through a full cycle again and there is still standing water, it’s likely that you’re dealing with a different problem.
Sludge In The Garbage Disposal
Your dishwasher drain hose empties into the same drain as your garbage disposal. Sometimes, if you haven’t run your garbage disposal unit in a while, that line will contain food and sludge that settles into the drain pipe. If this is the case, it won’t drain properly. Sometimes, simply turning on your garbage disposal with cool running water will be enough to remove the sludge and get it draining properly.
Remove Standing Water
If you don’t have a garbage disposal, you’ll need to drain the standing water. Remove the bottom dish tray, then use a scoop to remove the dirty water into the bucket. You might need to use towels to soak up the last bit of water. Once you’ve done that there are a few things you can look for.
The Wrong Detergent
If you don’t use a detergent specifically formulated for your dishwasher clog is almost inevitable. For example, a liquid for handwashing dishes will create suds that prevent it from draining properly. To fix this, remove any extra standing water and detergent and run through the cycle again with the normal detergent.
Drain Basket Blockage
At the bottom of your dishwasher, you’ll find a drain basket. This basket is designed to block food and debris from entering the drain. Sometimes, after enough use, this basket or the drain beneath it will become clogged. Remove the cover, clean the drain basket, and remove any gunk you can see beneath.
Many dishwasher training issues can be solved simply by pre-rinsing your dishes. However, if you still experience issues, be sure to consult a plumber in Madison, IL.
