6 Common Dishwasher Problems (and their Causes)

Do you rely heavily on your dishwasher to do the dirty work? For many homeowners, a broken dishwasher is considered a nightmare! Dirty dishes can quickly stack up, leaving you with a half-hour of suds and scrubbing every night, cracked hands and a higher water bill. Before you pick up the phone to call or text Westside, we recommend you do some light troubleshooting on your appliance. What sometimes seems to be major problems may actually require very simple fixes. Here are six common dishwasher problems, and what could likely be their causes:

 #1 Your Dishwasher cycle runs too long

Unless the water going into the dishwasher is already hot, your machine needs a little time to warm up. This can extend the cycle, even in top-brand dishwashers. An easy way to shorten the time of your rinse cycle is to turn on the kitchen faucet before running your dishwasher to let the water heat up. Then turn on your machine and it should run through its cycle more quickly.

#2 Your Dishes come out dirty

Detergents Have you ever thought that your dishes just don’t look as bright, shiny and clean as they used to? Ecological concerns have forced detergent manufacturers to ban using phosphates, which was previously the main cleaning agents. Now, both liquid and powder detergents use different, more environmentally friendly chemicals.

What has developed from their efforts to create the greatest new dish soap formula is the use of a combination of enzymes and bleach. The enzymes break down the sauces and the food particles that are left on your dishes when you load them into the dishwasher, then the bleach attacks the stains from things such as coffee and tomato sauces that have attached themselves to the dishes.

The problem with the enzyme/bleach theory is that those two cannot work together at the same water temperatures. The enzymes must work at a cooler water temperature or they will be killed before completing their task. The bleach needs a much higher water temp to do its job properly. Since two ingredients cannot work together at the same temperatures, they need to be introduced into the dishwasher at different times.  This is why powders and liquids cannot work. Both the enzymes and the bleach will be dispensed simultaneously into the dishwasher rendering at least one of them useless.

Westside recommends using the tablets or packet types of dish soap. With these tablets, the different compartments are dissolved in the dishwasher at the appropriate different water temperatures. That way, the enzymes dispense when they are supposed to do their work and the bleach dispenses later, after the enzymes are finished breaking down the food particles. We also recommend putting the soap pods in the silverware basket rather than in the soap dish on the door. When you close the door on the soap dish it may not open until after the temperature has risen about the level for the enzymes to do their job, which may result in poor cleaning and odor issues in the dishwasher. Dishwasher Parts If the problem is not with the type of cleaning agent used, you may want to clean out the inside of your dishwasher! Westside recommends Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner to power away limescale and mineral buildup, leaving your dishwasher odorless and spotless. Be sure to rinse out any grease, debris or blockages in the filters at the bottom of your dishwasher. You may also want to check the spray arms on your machine. Food can sometimes jam the arms and cover the little holes that spray clean water. Try to spin the bottom and top arms with your hand to make sure they spin easily. To clean them, simply remove the arms and gently scrub them with a toothbrush or pipe-cleaner. Place them back, and try running a rinse cycle and see if your dishes fare any better. Dish Crowding Don’t overload your dishwasher. Crowding a machine full of dishes and glasses can cause the water to miss surfaces that need cleaning. It may also block the detergent dispenser from function properly. To ensure proper cleaning action, leave space between all items.

 #3 Your Dishes and/or glassware have scratches

This tends to happen if you pre-wash dishes before loading the unit. The chemicals in the detergent need food to act upon and may begin eating away at the surfaces of the dishes and glasses, (especially those made of crystal). Rinsing off larger particles of food before loading your machine, however, will not cause this kind of problem.

 #4 Your Dishes and glassware have spots

Newer models of dishwashers are made to use less electricity and don’t have high wattage heaters to fully dry your dishware – leaving your dishes with water spots. To help compensate for this, we recommend that you use a rinse aide (or vinegar) to help the water roll off your dishes. If you use a rinse aide, watch out for how much you use! Too much can cause foaming. You can find a dial that allows you to adjust rinse aide amounts. We recommend that you start at the lowest level and dial-up as needed.

 #5 Water pools at the bottom of your dishwasher

 Faucet Issues If you see standing water in your dishwasher, check both the filters and the air gap between the dishwasher and the sink. It’s very easy for a seed or other small food particle to get caught in the air gap. This blocks water and keeps it from draining out which causes it to collect on the bottom of the dishwasher. To see if the pooling is caused by a blockage, pull off the silver cap that sits next to your faucet and pull out the white plastic insert you see. Check for seeds or food inside the air gap, and reassemble. Water Valve Problems If you hear the machine running even after your dishwasher has completed its cleaning cycle, it’s possible that your unit may have a water valve problem. If this seems to be the case, do not turn off the power and call for service.

 #6 Your dishwasher has odors

This can happen when the dishwasher is not draining correctly or when the water temperature is not high enough. Food deposits can clot around the base of the machine or in the gasket around the bottom of the door. Cleaning out this area will help eliminate the problem. Look in your disposal and make sure there is no food blocking the drain. Also, check to see that water is flowing out of the machine. If not, call for service. The Westside Appliance team offers repair for both premier and major dishwasher brands. Our skilled, professional technicians are here to ensure that your appliances receive the care they deserve. Contact us today!