Is there standing water when you finish running your dishwasher? Is your dishwasher not draining? Your dishwasher not draining is inconvenient and can lead to mold and stink. Keeping your dishwasher working properly provides the convenience of not having to do dishes by hand, and ensures your dishes are cleaned properly. Here are five proven things that cause your problem of your dishwasher not draining.
The Cycle Didn’t Complete

If the cycle doesn’t complete or the dishwasher gets accidentally shut off in the middle of a cycle, this can leave standing water at the bottom of the washer. Running your dishwasher a second time and making sure it completes its cycle can solve this problem. However, if this doesn’t work, you could be having a timer issue. Dishwasher cycles run according to timers. If your timer breaks, this can cause your dishwasher to stop before it completes its cycle, making it miss the drainage part of the cycle, which can lead to a dishwasher not draining. This can be caused either by the timer as a whole breaking, or just the timer motor.
There’s a Kink or a Clog in the Drain Hose
If your drainage hose is clogged by greases or food pieces, this will keep water from draining from your dishwasher too. This can be caused by kinks, which can be cause by something heavy pressing against the hose. Usually, you can straighten these out yourself. Other times, you may need to replace the hose, especially since after a hose kinks, it tends to kink again in the same spot. Some people can replace drain hoses themselves; others will have to call a plumber to do it for them.
Your Garbage Disposal Needs To Be Run
Most dishwashers drain from the same passage garbage disposals use. Food particles build up over time, and this can lead to food pieces stuck in your garbage disposal that will clog the passage that drains your dishwasher. Ergo, a blocked garbage disposal means standing water in your dishwasher. Try running it to clear the passage. If your garbage disposal won’t run, it might have too much build-up. This can easily be fixed with a drain cleaner. However, if this doesn’t work, you can call a plumber to fix the problem for you.
Your Drain Pump Needs To Be Replaced
A drain pump is what drains the water from your dishwasher. If it is blocked or worn out, this can cause it to not work. You can listen for the drain pump when running your dishwasher. If it runs, but won’t pump out the water, the drain passage might be blocked. But if the drainage passage is clear and the pump won’t drain, it needs to be replaced. If it doesn’t run at all, you can check its wiring. If the connections are good, but the pump doesn’t run, this means its motor doesn’t work, and again, needs to be replaced.
The Filter Needs to Be Cleaned or Replaced

Dishwasher filters need to be cleaned and replaced regularly just like laundry machine filters. Filters catch any food debris left on dishes in this wash cycle, which build up over time. If you notice standing water around where your dishwasher filter is located, it could be a sign that you need to clean or replace the filter.
If you have tried to fix your dishwasher not draining, and it didn’t work, or if you could not fix it yourself, call a professional. If your dishwasher is not draining or you are having any other problems, you can contact our experts at VanderDoes Home Services to schedule your dishwasher repair today! You can reach us at 801-731-7150 to set up an appointment.
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