Is your dishwasher gurgling like it’s trying to communicate or is water hanging around after the cycle? Are your dishes coming out as dirty as they went in? If you answered yes to these questions, you might have a clogged dishwasher.
Locating the Drain Hose
It’s possible to fix your high-end appliance with just your hands and some good old-fashioned elbow grease. Clogged dishwashers are inconvenient but can be repaired. The first thing to do is to unplug the dishwasher. This is to avoid serious injury, death or embarrassment. When the dishwasher is unplugged, proceed to the next step. Open the dishwasher and check the basket-shaped filter at the bottom. Use a screwdriver to remove it. Clean out any debris. Afterward, locate the drain hose. To find it remove the toe kick from the front of the dishwasher. This will allow you access to the mysterious underside of the dishwasher. The drain hose directly ties the dishwasher to the sink drain. It’s usually behind the pump. There should be a second hose running from the pump. We’ll call this the recirculation hose because that’s its name and ignore it for now.
Dislodging the Clog
Now comes the fun part. We need to get all those chunks of food you didn’t scrape off your plates out of the drain hose. Disconnect the hose from the dishwasher. Have a bucket of some sort ready to catch all the nasty water that’s sure to come splashing out. Don’t worry if you get some in your face. It might taste bad, but chances are good it won’t kill you. You’ll need to use some pliers to loosen the clamp around the hose. Once the hose is disconnected, it’s time to look for the clog. The clog can be dislodged by contorting the hose and flinging it around like a scary snake. If physical force doesn’t work, try flushing it with a garden hose. Thin tools like straightened coat hangers might also work. Don’t be afraid to experiment. This is your chance to be creative.
Putting it Together
The clog is conquered and the hose is clear of obstructions. Replace the hose by firmly pushing it back into place. Secure the clamp back in its original position and use the pliers to pinch it tight. When the drain hose is reconnected, turn your attention to the ignored recirculation hose. Repeat the whole process with it to assure it’s clean and ready to recirculate. Once everything is back in its place, run the dishwasher on a test cycle. Make sure to watch for unusual leaking. If you’re confused about what constitutes unusual leaking, just watch for any water that’s not where it’s supposed to be. If you’re confused about where the water should be, it should be in the dishwasher and not on the floor. Immediately stop and unplug the dishwasher if you see leaking. Check to make sure your hoses are attached tightly and correctly.
If the dishwasher runs without leaking and it drains smoothly, then congratulations! You used your smarts to fix your high-end appliance! Wasn’t that fun? However, if your dishwasher is still gurgling and if water is sitting in it like a lowland swamp you might have a bigger problem than a clogged dishwasher. Never be afraid to admit defeat and call in the professionals. There are some problems even the hardiest of us can’t fix without some help.