How to unclog a dishwasher

Your dishwasher depends on you to look after it so it can keep your dishes, glasses and cutlery sparkling clean. One thing that can stop your dishwasher from performing at its best is clogs from built-up debris, limescale and residue. If this sounds familiar to you, we have some tips to help you fix and even prevent clogs – and clean a dishwasher that won’t drain.

Why is your dishwasher clogged?

Many things can clog your dishwasher. Constantly using your dishwasher to clean away food, grease and other residue on your dishes, glasses and cutlery can clog your machine and stop things from moving. Hard water can also cause limescale buildup in your dishwasher’s pipes, clogging the flow of contents.

How to prevent a clogged dishwasher

To prevent a clogged dishwasher, you’ll want to use Finish^® Dishwasher Cleaner. Its formula cleans your dishwasher by fighting grease, limescale and odour in the hidden parts of your machine:

1

Ensure your machine is empty and doesn't contain any other soap or detergent.

A man squats on the ground, removing a white dish from a dishwasher in a grey kitchen.

2

Remove the sticker from the top of the bottle of Finish Dishwasher Cleaner (but keep the lid on) and place the bottle upside down in a secure position in your dishwasher.

A woman’s hands hold a blue Finish Dishwasher Cleaner bottle and removes a sticker from the opening.

3

Close your dishwasher's door and set the machine on its hottest cycle, which will melt the wax layer away and release the contents of the bottle.

4

Once the cycle is finished, remove and recycle the bottle – and use your dishwasher, secure in the knowledge that it can work at optimal efficiency.

A dishwasher door slightly ajar, revealing the empty top rack inside.

Repeat these cleaning steps once every 3 months for the best results.

ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR PREVENTING DISHWASHER CLOGS

You can help prevent dishwasher clogs by scraping off large bits of food from your dishes and bakeware before running a load. It's important to remember that you don't need to rinse dishes before you put them in your dishwasher. After all, this wastes water unnecessarily! The combination of a quick (but thorough) scrape, a powerful Finish^® detergent used according to instructions, and a modern dishwasher used on the right settings are all you need.

A woman’s hand scrapes leftover pasta from a white dish into a garbage container filled with discarded vegetables.

Learn more tips to save water when using your dishwasher – while still making sure your dishes come out clean and shiny, every time

How to clean a dishwasher that won't drain

If your dishwasher isn't draining, there may be a blockage that dishwasher cleaner can't fix.

If you need to clean a dishwasher with standing water, start by emptying your dishwasher for easy access to the machine, following these steps:

1

Turn the electricity off:

Make sure you turn off any electricity that's running to either your dishwasher or your garbage disposal (if applicable).

An extended index finger touching a dishwasher control button.

2

Remove the standing water:

Remove as much water as you can with a towel, cloth or other absorbent material.

A woman’s hand holds a yellow sponge on the inside of a dishwasher door that is laid flat.

3

Locate your drain hose:

This is what connects the dishwasher to your garbage disposal. You can usually find your drain hose under your sink or behind the dishwasher.

The underside of a sink with a drain, garbage disposal, and dishwasher hose.

4

Remove and clean:

Once you’ve done this, you can use some pliers to disconnect the hose and begin clearing it out using a commercial unclogging device, such as a pipe cleaner.

Two hoses resting on the bottom rack of a dishwasher.

5

Check your dishwasher drain:

Once you’ve made sure the drain hose is unclogged, it’s time to do the same with the dishwasher drain. Locate the drain at the bottom of your dishwasher, remove it with a screwdriver, and clean it using a pipe cleaner.

Closeup of the filter and spraying arm inside a dishwasher.

If you've done this and still can't fix the clogged dishwasher, we suggest it's time to send in the professionals!

It also pays to clean your dishwasher inside and out at least once a month. This helps maintain your dishwasher and extend its life, so your most valuable kitchen asset can continue to serve you in tiptop condition.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO CLEAN YOUR DISHWASHER

Use Finish dishwasher cleaner to improve machine performance

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

: Your detergent needs to complement the cleansing action of your dishwasher. Automatic dishwashing detergent is specially formulated to disperse food residue and greasy soiling, hold it in suspension, and remove it in the final rinse. It does all this while producing little or no suds.
For best results use the detergent recommended by the manufacturer of your machine.
However, Finish is the #1 Recommended brand by leading dishwasher manufacturers such as Bosch^*. In very hard water areas we also recommend the use of separate Salt and Rinse aid to protect your machine and achieve the best result.
^*Finish is the most recommended detergent based on the market share of dishwasher manufacturers that recommend Finish
: No need to! Pre-rinsing is a thing of the past. And although many British households do it, it’s time consuming and wasteful of precious resources.
Modern detergents such as Finish Quantum Ultimate contain both bleach and enzymes and are recommended by dishwasher manufacturers for use without pre-rinsing.
Bleach fights tough stains like tea and coffee, and enzymes breakdown proteins and starches. All you have to do is scrape the larger pieces into the rubbish bin and load your dishwasher.
: Dishwasher tablets contain surfactants, which affect the liquid they are added to, making it more efficient at picking up and washing away debris. They also include enzymes (to break down starchy foods and protein), builders (to tackle hard water) and safe bleaches.
Once you’ve put your dishwasher tablet into the detergent dispenser compartment, your machine will release the contents at the optimal time allowing the tab to disintegrate into the water, release all ingredients and clean your dishes!
: Your dishwashing detergent should be stored in a dry environment. If you are using powder, be careful to close the spout after each use to help keep the product dry (and to avoid spills!). Like all cleaning products, store your detergent out of the reach of children.
: Rinse aid is required to:

Ensure spot-free, shiny dishes

Assist the drying function

Salt is required to:

Protect your machine from limescale

Soften the water for better cleaning

With multi-benefit tablets such as Finish Quantum Ultimate and Finish All in One, rinse aid and salt functions are included. However, in very hard water areas we also recommend the use of separate Salt and Rinse aid products to protect your machine and achieve the best result.
: "Dishwasher tablets are very simple to use. If needed, remove any protective packaging, pop the tablet into your detergent dispensing compartment, close the compartment, turn on your washing machine and let technology and Finish handle the rest!
For detailed information on how to use Finish Tablets, read on below.
With dry hands, remove the tablet from the container and place it in the detergent dispenser. Ensure both the dispenser and the tablet is dry to prevent it from dissolving prematurely.
Close the tablets packaging lid tightly. Store away from heat and moisture to protect the remaining tablets.
Our tablets are wrapper-free (with the exception of Finish Classic) and are designed to release their contents when they come into contact with water. Do not pierce or attempt to unwrap the tablets.
Clip the detergent dispenser shut and close your dishwasher.
Make sure all items are dishwasher safe and separate silver from stainless steel.
Wash metal items according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Run dishwasher. The optimal water temperature is 51° – 60°C.
For optimal results, it is recommended to also use Finish Rinse Aid for shinier and drier dishes (vs detergent alone).
: Detergent tablets should always be placed in the detergent dispenser compartment.

If you’re placing the tablet at the bottom of the dishwasher it’s likely that it will dissolve too quickly, releasing the detergent during the prewash and leaving no detergent for the main wash cycle. This will reduce the efficiency of your wash.
: Whether you need to remove the plastic from your dishwasher tablet depends on the product you have bought. As a good rule of thumb, if the tablet comes individually wrapped then yes, you should remove the plastic wrap before using. If, however, the tablet is encased in a skin of thin, transparent plastic, this should not be removed and will dissolve itself safely during the washing process.
: Dishwasher tablets should only go in the dishwasher detergent compartment of your dishwasher, not loose in the dishwasher itself.

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