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An open dishwasher with the lower rack pulled out and cloudy gray water standing across the bottom of the stainless tub around the filter.

Dishwasher
Not Draining

Dirty water stays in the bottom of the tub after the cycle ends.

(844) 430-4286

Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm

  • 5 checks before you book
  • 5 questions that narrow it
  • 6 causes, cheapest first

Book a visit

Three short steps, about a minute.

or call (844) 430-4286

What it
usually means.

A dishwasher pumps water out rather than letting it fall, so standing water means something between the filter and the sink drain is stopping the flow. Most of the time the blockage is a clogged filter, a kinked hose or a garbage disposal that was never opened up for the dishwasher. The drain pump itself is further down the list, and it tends to announce itself with a hum or a grinding sound.

A technician in a US home kitchen kneels at an open built-in dishwasher, lifting the filter out of the tub floor. The 6 causes, cheapest first

Answer these first

01

How much water is left: a thin layer over the filter, or several inches?
02

Do you hear the pump hum or buzz at the end of the cycle, or is it silent?
03

Was a garbage disposal installed or replaced recently?
04

Does the sink drain slowly too?
05

Is there an air gap cap on the sink deck, and does water spill from it?

Check these
before you book.

Dishwasher not draining: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything.

01

Remove and rinse the filter under the lower spray arm, and clear anything in the sump beneath it.

02

If a disposal was just installed, confirm the knockout plug in its dishwasher inlet was removed.

03

Run the disposal and the sink faucet to make sure the shared drain is clear.

Also worth checking

  • Look behind or under the machine for a kinked drain hose and confirm it rises in a high loop.
  • Clean the air gap cap on the sink deck if you have one.

How soon does it need a visit?

Not urgent on its own. Standing water will start to smell within a day or two, so bail it out with a cup and a towel. If water is also coming out onto the floor, turn off power at the breaker and close the supply valve under the sink.

The causes,
cheapest first.

6 things dishwasher not draining turns out to be, from clogged filter to failed drain pump or check valve.

The cost guide
  1. 01 no repair

    Clogged filter

    Food, labels and glass bits build up in the cylinder filter at the bottom of the tub. Twisting it out and rinsing it clears most drains.

    Fixed by maintenance
  2. 02 no repair

    Disposal knockout plug still in place

    A new disposal ships with a plastic plug in the dishwasher inlet. If nobody knocked it out, the dishwasher has never had a way to drain there.

    No repair: check it yourself
  3. 03 lowest

    Kinked hose or missing high loop

    The drain hose should rise to a high loop or an air gap before dropping to the drain. Without it, or with a kink behind the machine, water sits or siphons back.

    Fixed by drain and pump repair
  4. 04 lowest

    Clogged air gap or sink drain

    Grease and debris in the air gap or the sink trap stop water downstream. Water spitting from the air gap cap is the tell.

    Fixed by drain and pump repair
  5. 05 low to moderate

    Drain pump or impeller jammed

    A shard of glass, a cherry pit or a bone chip can lock the pump impeller. A hum with no flow usually means the motor is trying against a jam.

    Fixed by drain and pump repair
  6. 06 moderate

    Failed drain pump or check valve

    A pump motor that no longer runs, or a check valve stuck closed, leaves the tub full even with a clear path downstream.

    Fixed by drain and pump repair

The makes
it happens on.

27 makes on this site; dishwasher not draining can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page.

All 27 brands

Dishwasher Not Draining,
where we come out.

9 metros, each with its own page.

All service areas

Tampa BayFL · 31 areas

OrlandoFL · 30 areas

Miami / South FloridaFL · 47 areas

New York MetroNY · 75 areas

HoustonTX · 36 areas

ChicagoIL · 50 areas

Los AngelesCA · 95 areas

San DiegoCA · 31 areas

San Francisco Bay AreaCA · 74 areas

A family unloading clean plates from an open dishwasher together in a bright contemporary kitchen, a child handing a plate to a parent
For the heart of your home.

Questions about
dishwasher not draining.

Is it normal to see a little water left in the bottom?
A small amount sitting in the sump under the filter is normal on most machines; it keeps the seals from drying out. Water standing across the tub floor or above the filter is not.
Can I pour drain cleaner into the dishwasher?
No. Chemical drain openers can damage the pump seals, the hoses and the tub, and they leave caustic liquid sitting where the technician has to work. Bail the water out and clean the filter instead.
Why does it drain fine sometimes and not others?
An intermittent drain points to something that moves: a hose that kinks when the machine is pushed back, a piece of debris that sometimes blocks the impeller, or a sink drain that clogs only when the disposal is full.
What should I have ready when I call?
Whether the pump hums, whether there is a disposal and an air gap, and whether the filter was cleaned. Those three answers decide whether the visit starts at the sink or under the tub.

Back to your everyday

Still seeing dishwasher not draining?

Book with what you checked above — 5 answers save the technician the first part of the visit.

Schedule a repair Call (844) 430-4286
(844) 430-4286 Schedule a repair