A less-common problem that most of us have had to deal with at least once is a dishwasher that won’t drain. You open your dishwasher door expecting to see a bunch of clean dishes, but instead are met with a pool of murky water that’s beginning to spill onto the floor. This can be an incredibly frustrating problem, as you have to hand wash dishes until it starts to drain again. So how can you deal with a dishwasher that won’t drain? Below, our professional plumbers have outlined some quick tips on getting your dishwasher in working order again.
Turn On Your Garbage Disposal
If you have a garbage disposal at your home, your dishwasher is connected to it. The dishwasher has a drainage hose that is connected to the garbage disposal, allowing it to drain through the disposal. If there is food stuck in there, or that is just not ground up, it can prevent your dishwasher from draining how it’s supposed to. If you run your garbage disposal for a few seconds with the water running in the sink, it may clear up any food and help the dishwasher drain.
Clean Your Drain Basket
Something that may be overlooked on a regular basis is the need to clean your drain basket. At the bottom of your dishwasher, there is a little basket covering the drain that is designed to catch food and other things that won’t easily go down the drain. If your drain basket is filled with food, it may be blocking water from reaching the drain. To clean this, first you have to remove the standing water. You can use cups to scoop it out, let towels soak it up, or whatever else you think is a good idea. After that, at the very bottom of the dishwasher you’ll see the drain basket. Remove it, and then from there it’s just a simple handwash and reinstallation!
Baking Soda & Vinegar
As many of us know, baking soda and vinegar is great for many applications around the house, and one of those applications is using it to unclog your dishwasher drain. If you haven’t seen any results after trying the two steps above, give this mixture a try in the drain. Pour baking soda and vinegar into the drain after getting the standing water out, and let it sit there for a while. The baking soda and vinegar react and help to break loose any clogs. After you’ve let it sit for about 15 minutes, get some hot water and send it down the drain.
If these simple at home tricks didn’t work to help drain your dishwasher, it’s probably time to have a professional plumber look at it. Contact Knight Plumbing today! We can help with all of your plumbing and HVAC needs, and offer 24/7 emergency services so we will always be there for you when you need us most.
