--- title: "Why dishwashers stop draining, from the filter to the sink" description: "Water left behind is a blockage somewhere between the tub and the sink drain, and the pump is rarely the first suspect." url: "https://dishwasherrepair.center/guides/why-dishwashers-stop-draining/" date_modified: "2026-09-25" --- Common problems # Why dishwashers stop draining, from the filter to the sink Standing water in the dishwasher usually means the exit path is blocked, not that the pump has died. Check in this order: the filter and sump, the garbage disposal inlet and sink drain, the drain hose and air gap, then the pump and its check valve. A shallow puddle below the filter is normal on many models. By [DishwasherRepair.center technical team](https://dishwasherrepair.center/authors/technical-team/) Published September 25, 2026 ## At a glance. Water left in the tub is almost never a mystery once you follow the path it takes on the way out. That path runs from the filter to the pump, through a hose and into the sink plumbing, and the blockage is usually at one of its two ends. Read the whole guide ### Most likely cause A clogged filter or sump Food, labels and broken glass collect right where the water has to leave the tub. ### What is normal A little water below the filter Many current models keep a shallow pool in the sump to keep the seals wet, so only water above the filter counts. ### Second place to look The sink side of the hose The disposal inlet, the air gap on the sink deck and the sink trap share the same exit. ### The pump itself Further down the list A pump that hums without moving water is more often jammed than burned out. In this guide 1. How the water gets out in the first place 2. How much water is left tells you where to start 3. The tub end: filter, sump and pump 4. The sink end: disposal, air gap and trap 5. The hose between the two 6. Step by step 7. Questions ## How the water gets out in the first place A dishwasher does not drain by gravity. At the end of each wash and rinse, a small electric pump in the base pushes the used water up a flexible hose, over a loop set high under the counter, and down into the sink drain or the garbage disposal. Anything that slows the water at any point on that route leaves some of it behind in the tub. The route has five places where things go wrong, listed here in the order water meets them: 1. The filter assembly in the floor of the tub 2. The sump and the drain pump beneath it 3. The check valve that keeps drained water from flowing back 4. The drain hose and its high loop or air gap 5. The disposal inlet or sink tailpiece where the hose ends ## How much water is left tells you where to start ### A puddle under the filter Lift out the lower rack and look at the floor of the tub. If the water sits only in the round well around the filter and does not rise above the filter housing, the machine is most likely behaving as designed. Whirlpool says a little water there, about halfway up the filter area, is normal and keeps the seals from drying out between loads. ### An inch or more across the tub floor Standing water in the dishwasher that covers the tub floor and stays there after a full cycle is a real drain problem. Cloudy gray water with bits in it points toward the filter or the pump inlet. Clear water that returns an hour after the machine finished points toward the other end, where water from the sink or disposal is flowing back through the hose. ### A cycle that stops with water in it Many controls check that the tub emptied before they move on to the next fill. When the pump runs but the water level barely moves, the board may pause the cycle, blink, or show a drain message. The meaning of any specific code belongs to the brand, and our error code pages list them by manufacturer. Source: [Whirlpool — Not draining, water remains at end of cycle](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Dishwasher/Cycle_Concerns/Not_Draining%2F%2FWater_Remains/Not_Draining_-_Water_Remain_at_End_of_Cycle_-_Dishwasher) — Some water in the filter area is normal; check disposal and air gap The drain hose looping up under a kitchen sink to the garbage disposal inlet, the cabinet door open. ## The tub end: filter, sump and pump Many current dishwashers have a two-piece manual filter under the lower spray arm: a fine mesh cylinder that twists out, and a flat coarse screen around it. When the cylinder is packed with grease and pulp, the pump can only draw water through it slowly, and a full drain that should be over quickly never finishes before the control gives up. Below the filter is the sump, the small well where the pump draws in water. A cherry pit, a sliver of glass or a twist tie that slipped by the filter can wedge in the pump inlet or wrap around the impeller. The pump then hums at the end of a cycle without moving any water, which is the sound to listen for with the door closed. ### The check valve Most designs place a small flapper or ball valve at the pump outlet or where the hose leaves the machine. It lets water out and stops it from coming back. When food jams it open, drained water slides back into the tub; when it sticks shut, the pump strains against a closed door. Either way the owner sees the same puddle. ## The sink end: disposal, air gap and trap A new garbage disposal arrives with a plastic knockout plug sealing its dishwasher inlet. If the installer did not punch it out, the dishwasher cannot drain at all from the first day. It is a common reason a freshly installed pair of appliances fails together, and it is visible once the hose clamp at the disposal is loosened. Established kitchens clog differently. Grease builds in the disposal inlet and the sink trap until the dishwasher, pushing against that slow drain, leaves water behind. A sink that also drains slowly, or a disposal that has not been run for days, points here. - Run the disposal with cold water until it sounds empty before starting the dishwasher. - Take the chrome cap off the air gap on the sink deck, pull off the inner cover and clear the debris inside. - Look for water spitting out of the air gap during the drain, which means the hose below it is blocked. Source: [Whirlpool — Not draining, water remains at end of cycle](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Dishwasher/Cycle_Concerns/Not_Draining%2F%2FWater_Remains/Not_Draining_-_Water_Remain_at_End_of_Cycle_-_Dishwasher) — Some water in the filter area is normal; check disposal and air gap; [Whirlpool — Not draining, newly installed](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Dishwasher/Cycle_Concerns/Not_Draining%2F%2FWater_Remains/Not_Draining_-_Newly_Installed_-_Dishwasher) — Remove the disposer knockout plug; route the hose in a high loop ## The hose between the two On its way to the sink the hose has to climb to a high loop fastened under the counter, or to an air gap, and only then fall toward the plumbing. Whirlpool asks for the top of that loop to sit at least 20 inches above the floor. A hose that sags to the cabinet floor lets dirty sink water siphon back into the tub, which is why the leftover water sometimes smells of the disposal rather than of detergent. Kinks are the other hose problem, and they usually happen when a machine is pushed back into its opening after service or installation. The kink is hidden behind the machine on a built-in or a panel-ready model, and it only shows when the dishwasher slides forward. ### What changes on drawers and compacts In a double dishwasher drawer, each drawer has its own drain pump, and both hoses usually join before the sink connection. One drawer holding water while the other drains points at that drawer's filter, pump or hose rather than at the kitchen plumbing. Portable compacts drain through a hose hooked into the sink, and one that slipped below the rim or kinked against the faucet adapter is easy to spot. Source: [Whirlpool — Not draining, newly installed](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Dishwasher/Cycle_Concerns/Not_Draining%2F%2FWater_Remains/Not_Draining_-_Newly_Installed_-_Dishwasher) — Remove the disposer knockout plug; route the hose in a high loop; [Whirlpool — Checking the drain loop height](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Product_Info/Dishwasher_Product_Assistance/Checking_the_Drain_Loop_Height) — High loop at least 20 inches above the floor ## Where to stop Stop if reaching the pump means removing the lower kick panel while the machine is still connected to power, or pulling a built-in out of its opening with the water line attached. A pump that hums and stays jammed after the sump is clear, or a hose that has to be replaced behind the machine, is work for a technician. Written by [DishwasherRepair.center technical team](https://dishwasherrepair.center/authors/technical-team/). The dishwasher technicians behind the service visits booked here. Each article grows out of problems met in real kitchens and is compared with the maker's manuals and service literature wherever those are published. Sources: [Whirlpool — Not draining, water remains at end of cycle](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Dishwasher/Cycle_Concerns/Not_Draining%2F%2FWater_Remains/Not_Draining_-_Water_Remain_at_End_of_Cycle_-_Dishwasher) · [Whirlpool — Not draining, newly installed](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Dishwasher/Cycle_Concerns/Not_Draining%2F%2FWater_Remains/Not_Draining_-_Newly_Installed_-_Dishwasher) · [Whirlpool — Checking the drain loop height](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Product_Info/Dishwasher_Product_Assistance/Checking_the_Drain_Loop_Height) ## Step by step. Four steps, in the order worth doing them. 01 ### Stop the cycle and wait Cancel the program and let the pump try once more; the manual says which button cancels and whether that starts a short drain. 02 ### Clear the filter and sump Scoop out the water with a cup and towel, twist out the filter, rinse it, and feel around the sump opening for hard debris. 03 ### Check the sink side Run the disposal, clean the air gap, and confirm the sink itself drains freely. 04 ### Run a short rinse Start a rinse-only cycle and listen at the end: steady pumping with water leaving is good, a hum with no change is a jam. For the heart of your home. ## Questions owners ask. ### How long should a normal drain take? A healthy pump empties the tub quickly, and you can hear it as a steady rush that ends with a gurgle. A drain that runs for several minutes with the sound of water still sloshing points to a slow path somewhere. ### Why is the water back even though it drained last night? Water that reappears between loads usually came from the sink. A drain hose without a high loop, or a stuck check valve, lets the sink or disposal backflow into the tub. ### Does a drain problem damage anything if I wait? Standing water turns sour within a day or two and can seep past the door seal if the tub is overfilled on the next run. Scoop it out and avoid running more loads until the cause is found. ## The problems behind it. Each has a page of its own: what it usually means and the causes in the order worth checking. [All 17 problems](https://dishwasherrepair.center/problems/) Problem ### Dishwasher Not Draining 6 causes, cheapest first Problem ### Dishwasher Smells Bad 5 causes, cheapest first Problem ### Dishwasher Cycle Takes Too Long 5 causes, cheapest first Problem ### Dishwasher Showing an Error Code 5 causes, cheapest first ## When it needs a technician. 47 error codes on this site send owners here first. The repairs on the right are where this guide ends when the checks do not settle it. [ASKO F10](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/asko-f10/) [ASKO F11](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/asko-f11/) [ASKO F52](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/asko-f52/) [ASKO F68](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/asko-f68/) [Bertazzoni F2](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/bertazzoni-f2/) [Bosch E24](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/bosch-e24/) [Bosch E25](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/bosch-e25/) [Bosch E22](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/bosch-e22/) [Bosch E23](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/bosch-e23/) [Cove 800115](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/cove-800115/) ### Drain and pump repair Water left standing in the tub, cleared by finding where the drain path actually stops. ### Maintenance A visit that clears the filter, the spray arms and the drain path before they become a repair call. ### Diagnostic visit The visit that turns a vague complaint about dirty dishes or standing water into one named part and one price. ## More in common problems. What a dishwasher means when it leaves water behind, stops mid-cycle, washes poorly or will not dry. [The whole section](https://dishwasherrepair.center/guides/common-problems/) What it is trying to tell you ### Why dishes come out dirty, read from the residue Stuck food, sandy grit and white film each point to a different cause, and most of them are fixed without a part. What it is trying to tell you ### Why a dishwasher leaks, traced from the puddle Front, underneath or in the sink cabinet: where the water collects decides which seal or connection to look at. Guides ### All 18 guides Six sections, by what you are trying to find out. --- **[Read on the site: Why dishwashers stop draining, from the filter to the sink](https://dishwasherrepair.center/guides/why-dishwashers-stop-draining/)** **[Book a visit with DishwasherRepair.center](https://dishwasherrepair.center/schedule/)**