How to Unclog a Dishwasher: Step-by-Step Guide

Is your dishwasher not draining as quickly as it used to? The possible reason for this might be that your dishwasher has become clogged. The clogged dishwasher might not drain as quickly as it used to. 

Numerous households fail to take notice of clogged dishwashers and continue with the same but this can become a serious issue if untreated. Remove the dishwasher’s plate by detaching the drain hose. 

The households can also remove clogs by bending the hose back and forth and flushing it with water with a straightened coat hanger. Applying removal techniques to the recirculation hose and then re-attaching the drainage to the dishwasher is all you need to do unclogging. 

Here are some of the steps you need to take for unclogging a dishwasher. 

Steps to Unclog a Dishwasher 

Before commencing with unclogging the dishwasher, you need to gather all your supplies that are required in the process such as a flashlight, garden hose, pan, screwdriver, and others. 

Once you are done with the tools, you can proceed with the below-mentioned steps to unclog a dishwasher. 

Disconnect dishwasher 

The foremost thing you need to do is to disconnect the dishwasher. By this, we mean that for the dishwashers that are wired to your home’s electrical supply, you need to remove a fuse from the fuse box and disconnect the power. 

Once you are done with this, you need to verify whether the power has been cut to your dishwasher to make sure it does not get on after you remove the fuse. 

Remove kickplate

The kickplate is the one that lies below the dishwasher. The households can make use of a screwdriver to remove the fasteners around the kickplate. Once the plate is removed, keep the screws safe so that they won’t be lost. 

The dishwashers use different kinds of screws whereas others prefer to keep the door open to reach the screws. It is an easy way to remove the kickplate. 

Look for the drain hose 

There is a drain hose along with the kickplate which runs between the dishwasher pump and the drain. The drain hose might be of flexible thick plastic. The differently designed dishwashers have different drain hoses. 

Some dishwashers have it between the pump and the air gap whereas others have a lower and upper bar for the inner baskets. Sometimes, the second hose along with the drain hose may also have a blockage. 

Condition of hose 

Next comes the condition of the hose. The brittle, cracked, and deteriorated hose is a clear sign of replacing the hose. You can replace hoses with kinks. Households can easily find replacement parts at hardware and appliance stores. 

You can support areas of the hose that sag by using zip ties or a water-resistant cord. Some models desire a special connector that can easily be ordered from the manufacturer itself. 

Break clogs physically 

You can break up the clogs by bending them back and forth to loosen severe blockages. There’s likely to be more blockage if you are facing more resistance than usual. 

Another thing to bear in mind while breaking up clogs physically is keeping the end of your hose positioned to catch anything that seems to fall out. 

Flush the drain hose 

The next step is to flush the drain hose with a garden hose. You can easily flush out the clogs with a directed stream of water. Another alternative is to use faucets with similar water pressure. 

The faucets are used in the same manner as the garden hoses. Simply hold one end of the drain hose and flush out the blockage with full pressure. 

Snake hose 

If the dishwasher has stubborn clogs, you can snake the hose. The households can make use of the pliers to straighten a wire coat and pass the hanger through the hose to push it out from the other end. Households with severe blockages should make use of this technique. 

Employ Unclog techniques 

Once you are done removing the stubborn clogs, the next thing you are supposed to do is employ unclog techniques. Likewise, the drain hose and the recirculation hose should also be fastened to the pump. 

You can physically loosen the clogs and apply snaking techniques as desired to remove the hose. 

Replace hoses 

The households need to replace the hose if the blockage is too severe to be removed by flushing or wire hanging snaking. You can easily get the hoses from the local stores. If you don’t find any issue in the hose, then the chances are that the issue might be with the drain. The only solution to the clogged drain is to unclog it. 

Watch out for leaking hoses 

Once you are done replacing the hoses, you can get back to your normal cycle when it is empty. Take note of whether it is properly connected and there should be no leakage. You can disconnect it from power if you notice any leakage from your dishwasher. Persistent leakage is a clear sign of replacing the hose. 

Final Thoughts 

With the help of the ways discussed above, every household can easily unclog the dishwasher and make it return to its usual functioning. Still, if you face any difficulties while doing so, then the best alternative is to call plumbers or cleaning professionals like Weekend Maids to get the job done for you.