How to unclog a dishwasher yourself?
Recently at home I just had a draining problem with my dishwasher. I thought it was a pump problem, but no, it was just clogged!
I therefore offer you some tips and solutions to unclog a dishwasher easily and quickly.
1. Remove standing water in the dishwasher
Personally, I noticed the problem when I opened the door of the dishwasher and saw stagnant water in the bottom of the appliance. Fortunately my dishwasher has an anti-overflow function.
- Use a vacuum cleaner: you can use a shop vac type vacuum cleaner that can vacuum dry or wet residue. Personally I used it (without the bag of course) to vacuum and remove all the water in the bottom of the dishwasher. Simple, fast and effective!
- Soak water in the dishwasher: you can also soak up all the water with rags and cloths. A little longer than with the vacuum cleaner, but just as effective in removing water.
2. Clean the removable parts of the dishwasher
As we do not know at this stage if the dishwasher is really clogged, cleaning the various accessories and removable elements inside the dishwasher is an excellent idea.
So clean these items:
- the protective grid
- the filter
- inside the drain under the filter
- spray arms
Also take the opportunity to clean the entire interior of the dishwasher with a mixture of hot water, vinegar and baking soda.
If you are looking for tips for cleaning the inside and outside of the dishwasher, it’s here: Tip for cleaning a dishwasher.
3. Unclog the dishwasher drain hose
My problem at home was exactly that, the water drain pipe was clogged in a specific place.
Check the drain hose of the dishwasher carefully!
The first time I removed the dishwasher from its location I didn’t notice the food clog in the drain hose, so I thought there was a problem with the drain pump, but no!
- Visually check the transparent white pipe to see if it is clogged in one or more places.
- Completely remove the hose to clean it in the kitchen sink or in the bathtub with very hot water.
- Use a long skewer or iron rod to unclog and remove food residue from the drain pipe.
- Rinse the inside of the pipe again with very hot water to complete the unclogging and cleaning.
Switch off and unplug the dishwasher!
Do not forget to unplug the dishwasher and turn off the water before removing the appliance from its location and above all wear gloves to protect your hands from electricity and cuts.
4. Change the dishwasher drain pump
Unfortunately if after unclogging and cleaning the dishwasher the water still does not drain then the problem comes from elsewhere!
Check the drain pump!
Indeed, the drain pump allows to remove and drain the water from the dishwasher to the drain pipe. If the pump is defective then the water will not drain and will remain in the bottom of the dishwasher.
But before buying and changing the drain pump, make sure that the pipe is not clogged. Because who knows, unclogging the drain pipe may solve the problem of water draining into your device.
5. Causes of Dishwasher Drain Problems
Before letting you unclog your dishwasher, I invite you to watch this video and tutorial that shows the different causes and steps to solve a drain problem with a dishwasher!
You will also discover in this video how to disconnect the drain hose and how to change the dishwasher drain pump.