Here’s an appliance issue that just about everyone can relate to: your dishwasher is not draining properly.

It’s a common appliance headache and one that our technicians at Appliance Rescue Service fix on a routine basis. When your dishwasher isn’t draining, it is important to get the situation under control asap as to avoid hand washing piles of dishes or having unwanted smells in the kitchen. Before calling the experts at Appliance Rescue, try these tips and tricks to see if they fix the issue:

1.   Clean the Drain Basket

When something isn’t draining – whether it’s a sink, shower, or dishwasher – one would assume there is a clog somewhere and there is no better place to start than with the drain basket. Look near the base of the spray arms or off to the side of the dishwasher, locate the drain basket, and clean it out. While a little gross, removing the sludge and food debris from the drain basket may be the key to your issue.

2.   Run an Empty Load

Sometimes all it takes is an empty run cycle to push any clogs through and solve the problem. You will quickly know after the wash cycle whether or not this worked to solve your dishwasher drain issue.

3.   Inspect the Garbage Disposal Hose

Many dishwashers are tied to the garbage disposal, so when a clog happens in the garbage disposal, the problem manifests itself in the dishwasher. To check this issue, disconnect the garbage disposal, and then disconnect the disposal hose. Use a long object to push any debris out of the hose (a screwdriver works well), reconnect, and then run another empty dishwasher cycle to see if the issue is fixed.

4.   Look for a Drain Hose Kink

Check your owner’s manual to see where the drain hose is located, but most commonly, it’s located below the door hinges on the front of the dishwasher.  Remove the panel cover and you should see the hose right there. Look for any kinks or visual issues.

Still having dishwasher drain issues? We hope these tips helped to solve the issue, but if not, it might signify a more serious problem with your unit. Call Appliance Rescue Service in Dallas, Texas today to get the problem solved quickly and professionally.