Help My Dishwasher Won’t Clean Properly

Picture this after a big meal with friends or family you load up your dishwasher to let in handle the clean-up for you. Sounds simple, enough doesn’t it? Then when you open it later to put everything away you find all the plate and pots still full of mess!

Yes, that’s not going to be pleasant, is it? But unfortunately fixing the problem isn’t always simple and although we can help you identify the cause of the problem and offer advice on how to fix it remember the best option is to call in our professional dishwasher repair experts.

The Spray Arm

Whether your dishwasher as one or multiple spray arms any issues with things not being cleaned properly is often caused by them malfunctioning in some way. Carefully inspect the spray arms to see if they are damaged or blocked in some way if they look OK then consider lessening your load because the spray arms may be being obstructed in some way.

If the spray arms are blocked, then on some models you might be able to remove them to unblock them yourself. But if they are more seriously damaged then you will need to get them repaired or replaced by a professional dishwasher repair engineer. If the spray arms look fine and the problem isn’t due to any obstructions, then don’t panic because there are other possible causes.

The Docking Station

This will only be a problem on dishwashers that feature middle spray arms, the docking station is found on the back of your dishwasher and features supply tubes that supply water to the spray arms. If the docking station is damaged in some way or has been knocked and is now not secure it will not function properly and will affect the spray arms.

The Filter

The filter is a common problem with dishwashers but if you’re lucky you’ll be able to solve the problem easily. If you suddenly find yourself with a dishwasher that won’t wash plates and pots properly then one of the first things you should check is the filter.

Locating the dishwasher’s filter may take a little time but they are most commonly found around the pumps. If the filter is blocked by food waste, then carefully cleaning it will probably solve the problem but if it’s been damaged more severely then it will need replacing.

If you notice that your dishwasher’s performance has been getting worse during a period of time, then the filter will often be behind the problem. Detergent can also be a common cause of filter blocks because it can build-up during wash cycles.

The Wash Spinner

The wash spinner might not be a name you’re overly familiar with but if you ever experience your dishwasher not washing properly then the wash spinner could be the cause. So, what is the wash spinner?

It’s a small washing arm located around the water feeding tube in most models and if it’s damaged or loose then that’s why your dishwasher won’t clean properly. Carefully inspecting the wash spinner will let you know if it’s damaged and if it is call in a professional dishwasher repair technician because trying to repair it yourself will usually just cause more problems.

The Food Chopper

Just like the filter, the food chopper provides an essential job on a dishwasher, but it can easily fall victim to problems like blockages. If the food chopper is blocked or damaged in some way, then your dishwasher failing to clean effectively is a common symptom.

Inspect the drain on the pumps to see if there is a lot of food debris if there is then carefully inspect the food chopper to see if it’s blocked. If it is carefully clean it but make sure your dishwasher is turned off while you do.

The Detergent

Finally, one last common cause of your dishwasher not cleaning properly could be the detergent. This could be due to a number of reasons let’s take a look in more detail, first of all, make sure you are using a high-quality detergent.

Detergent can take many forms and while gels and tablets do have their uses powder detergents do dissolve faster, so try switching to a powder detergent to see if you get different results. You might also want to consider whether you are using enough detergent, sometimes it’s easy to underestimate how much you need for an effective clean.

You will also want to inspect your detergent dispenser carefully, old detergent could have built-up and be causing a block. So, make sure it’s cleaned regularly and if your detergent isn’t dispensing then you will need to call in a dishwasher repair engineer to fix it for you. In the meantime, you could try placing a detergent tablet at the bottom of your dishwasher.