First things first, you should clean the standing water out of your dishwasher. If there\u2019s a lot, you can scoop it out with a cup and pour it down the sink before sopping up what remains with the towels. Or, you can suck it all out with a shop vac.<\/p>\n

Check the Drain Hose for Kinks or Blockages<\/h2>\n

Before you start taking your dishwasher apart, look under the sink and inspect the drain hose for kinks or blockages. Older drain hoses will get kinks in them over time, and these should be gently straightened out by hand. Can\u2019t find the hose? Check your dishwasher\u2019s manual; if you\u2019ve misplaced or thrown away the manual, you should be able to find a PDF copy online.<\/p>\n

Disconnect the hose from the back of the dishwasher, and use the straightened wire hanger or the plumber\u2019s snake to clear any blockage. Then, pour a mixture of a half-cup of water and a half-cup of baking soda into the drain hose. Follow that with a half-cup of vinegar. Wait 15 minutes, and then flush it out with hot water. Finally, unhook the drain hose from the garbage disposal, clear any blockage at the connection, and reconnect the hose, and run the garbage disposal to clear any blockage or air from the drain line. Whatever you do, don\u2019t stick your hands in the garbage disposal at any point.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Inspect the Sprayer Arms, Drain, and Pump<\/h2>\n

Your problem might be food particles or other debris in the dishwasher drain or pump. To get to them, gently pop out the sprayer arms and, while you\u2019ve got them out, use your toothpicks, wire clothes hanger or picture wire to clean any food debris out of the holes in them. This will help your dishwasher run better, and smell better, after you\u2019ve unclogged it.<\/p>\n

Next, remove the dishwasher drain filter and clean it with the toothbrush. Examine the pump for debris and remove any you find. Put the dishwasher back together.<\/p>\n

Run a Cycle<\/h2>\n

Once you have cleared the drain lines and cleaned the pump and filter, you should be good to go. Verify that your dishwasher is back on its feet by running a cycle while it\u2019s empty. Listen for humming or clicking noises while it runs; these could indicate a bad motor or pump. If there is still standing water in your dishwasher after you have cleaned the pump, filter, drain line and garbage disposal, try running the garbage disposal again; air in the drain line could be causing the problem. If that doesn\u2019t work, you may need to call a professional to come in and replace some component of your machine, probably the motor or pump.<\/p>\n

Fixing a dishwasher that won\u2019t drain is a job that almost any woman can tackle on her own. It doesn\u2019t require specialized tools or expertise, and it can be accomplished in about an hour. It\u2019s cheaper, faster and easier than calling a plumber, and it will have your dishwasher up and running again before you know it, so you can move on with your life before the dirty dishes start piling up.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This is a collaborative guest post, the ideas expressed do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n