Sometimes, it’s all too easy to overlook just how technology has made our lives at home so much easier. Yes, the fridge keeps our food fresh, the television keeps us informed and entertained, the air conditioner keeps us cool and the microwave pops out our dinner within minutes. But when asked, so many people point under the kitchen bench for the appliance of modern convenience that they adore the most: the dishwasher.
It’s no surprise, then, that a blockage in this super-handy, time and the frustration-saving appliance can be, well, more than just a little frustrating.
Is your dishwasher:
- Not cleaning your dishes properly?
- Making weird sounds?
- Shaking, thumping and grinding?
- Backing water up in your sink?
- Retaining water after completing the cycle?
If any of those sounds like your dishwasher problem, it could be an issue with the pump, with the drainage system, with the valves or a blockage elsewhere in the appliance. Like unblocking drains, a blocked dishwasher should also be addressed quickly and you’ll be back to sipping a cup of tea while your dishwasher does the hard work soon enough. Ignore it, though, and the problem could be irreversible, you could be dealing with a wet and soggy mess, or you could even promote mould and bacteria growth that makes your clean dishes downright unhealthy.
Ew! But the good news is that a blocked dishwasher can usually be unblocked quite easily – and all you have to do to get that crockery sparkling again is to follow our 7 simple steps:
1. Dishwasher blocked? Get ready to fix it!
Where water and chunks of food and other dishes debris mingle, blockages will inevitably occur. Remember, a bit of a left-over curry might not be the issue, but a bit of plastic or glass could make things a whole lot worse.
Before we start dealing with the problem, remove all the dishes and the dishwasher racks that are designed to come out.
2. Turn the dishwasher off
Now, make sure you disconnect the power from your appliance – because we all know that water and electricity don’t mix.
3. Get rid of the water
A dishwasher blockage commonly leaves a lot of water laying around in there, so get a towel and start sopping it up.
4. Check the drain hose
Next up, check the dishwasher outlet drainage hose – normally located at the rear of the device. You may need to pull the appliance out to do this.
5. Clean it
Disconnect the hose completely by removing the clamp – you may need your toolbox. Remember, some water is likely to spill out, so putting a towel or a pan below it may be wise. To clean the hose, style a coat-hanger into a de-clogging device, and start fishing for a blockage.
6. Check the dishwasher drain
If the hose was A-OK, the blockage could be in the dishwasher drain or filter. Look out for the basket-like part at the bottom, use your tools to remove it, and get that coat-hanger working again to clear out any gunk or other blockages.
7. Check the sprayer arms
While you’re working so hard, locate the appliance’s sprayer arms and remove them by unscrewing the nut. Use warm soapy water to clean them, use a toothpick to unclog the sprayer holes, and then give the whole lot a light scrub with a cloth.
How to unblock a dishwasher video
Don’t panic: Best Plumbers can find you a dishwasher expert
Did your valiant DIY efforts successfully unclog your dishwasher? If so, hooray! And if not, it’s still not the time to panic. Instead, let Best Plumbers Club connect you with an affordable and truly reputable local plumber near you. We work with all of the very best and most positively-reviewed and highly-recommended plumbers all over Australia – so all you have to do is get in touch with our team, let them know your problem and your location, and a brilliant dishwasher-unblocking expert will be sent your way. They can also find you the right plumber to repair or install a dishwasher.
Every Best Plumber in our network is not only fully-licensed but has top online review ratings that have been hand-checked by our Level 5 Google local guide. The friendly plumber we send your way will also offer up-front pricing and a workmanship guarantee, so why not let Best Plumbers Club help you with your dodgy dishwasher today?
