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Writer's pictureJolly Plumbing

What to Do When Your Dishwasher Does Not Drain?



Your dishwasher is often the unsung hero of your kitchen. It saves you time in not having to hand wash all of your dirty dishes and saves you money because it uses a lot less water than hand washing. What happens when your dishwasher doesn’t work how it should? One common problem that can occur with dishwashers is that they stop draining properly. Here are some tips and tricks on how to handle this issue so you can get back to loading and cleaning all of your dirty dishes.


Steps For Dishwasher Draining Troubleshooting

  1. Check that your sink is draining correctly. It may just mean that you need to run your garbage disposal. If there’s an issue with your sink draining, it could be causing your dishwasher not to drain correctly, as well.

  2. Check the filter in the dishwasher. Typically, it’s located in the back of your dishwasher on the bottom or underneath the sprayer arm. The filter of your dishwasher may have gotten clogged with food debris or other materials. Cleaning the filter can help your dishwasher to drain correctly if that was the root issue.

  3. You may also need to remove the filter to get into the drain area. In most dishwashers, the filter is held down using screws. You’ll want to remove the screws to pull up the filter and then clean out the drain area.

  4. If your dishwasher is connected to the disposal, you’ll want to check that connection. There may be a clog at that junction. Clear out the area too, and try to get the dishwasher to drain.

  5. Test the valve bracket. Your dishwasher may have a valve attached to it that stops the water from going back into the appliance once it starts draining. It’s possible that this valve is preventing the water from draining correctly.

  6. Another area where something could be wrong is in the dishwasher hose. It’s possible that there is a kink in the hose or that there is a clog somewhere in the hose. You may need to either clean the hose or replace it to get the dishwasher draining again.

  7. You may also want to check all of the different components. There may be something else going on with your dishwasher causing it not to drain.

  8. Lastly, if you’re still unsure of why your dishwasher is not draining correctly, it may be time to bring in the professionals.

Pro Tip: Be sure you’re continuing to use the correct dishwasher detergent. Using dish soap or other cleaning products in your dishwasher could harm the system and cause your dishwasher not to work correctly.


Are you still dealing with problems with your dishwasher? It may be time for a professional to have a look. It’s possible that there is something else going on with the dishwasher that needs to be repaired, or it may be time to have it replaced. Calling in Jolly Plumbing will get to the bottom of the issue so that you can get back to your regular schedule.


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