How to unblock a dishwasher ???

[Nicensleazy]

Having problems clearing a blockage in my dishwasher. I have bought a special chemical which apparently cleans and clears the lines/drains etc, but still blocked. Now, the dishwasher is built in, so getting access to it isn't easy. Has anyone ever used Mr Muscle drain/pipe cleaner? Just don't want to damage it? Any advice would be most welcome! Cheers

 

[Globalti]

Pull it out and disconnect the power then turn it on its front and remove the back. Dishwashers and washing machines are very simple, just a collection of bits and pieces bolted into a box together. You don't need to be a brain surgeon. If necessary go to the library and borrow the Haynes dishwasher & washing machine repair manual.

 

[Nicensleazy]

Pull it out and disconnect the power then turn it on its front and remove the back. Dishwashers and washing machines are very simple, just a collection of bits and pieces bolted into a box together. You don't need to be a brain surgeon. If necessary go to the library and borrow the Haynes dishwasher & washing machine repair manual.

Thanks mate, but like I said, its built in and can't get it out

 

[Aperitif]

Is the outlet connected to a waste via a jubilee clip around the pipe or to an 'upstand'? (Like a washing machine outlet - with a trap on the bottom of a short bit of pipe.
Any outlet blockage is likely to be in the area of that connection. Unscrew it and clean. Have a baking tray handy to catch any stuff from the drain on the d/washer.
You can always test the dishwasher part of the drain by hooking the pipe into the sink - if that works...get dismantling the 40mm waste plumbing!
As for it being built in - pull off the kickboard of your kitchen units - they clip on usually. There are perhaps two screws fixing the DW in place to the underside of the worktop. Remove. Lower the front feet - these usually have slots in so that you can easily do this...
There may be a slightly off-centre screw in the carcass of the machine - it should have an arrow pointing up and one pointing down! Turn the screw in the down direction to lower the rear of the machine. Make sure you don't kink any hoses when returning to its nest after you have troubleshot your domestic godotess!

 

[Dave5N]

Having problems clearing a blockage in my dishwasher. I have bought a special chemical which apparently cleans and clears the lines/drains etc, but still blocked. Now, the dishwasher is built in, so getting access to it isn't easy. Has anyone ever used Mr Muscle drain/pipe cleaner? Just don't want to damage it? Any advice would be most welcome! Cheers

That might be poisonous. Try ex-lax for her?

 

[Night Train]

Have you checked the strainer/filter in the DW?
Is you DW near the sink? Have a look under the sink, you might find the DW waste pipe joins the sink waste under there and you could disconnect that and have a look.

 

[swee'pea99]

Someone else better informed will probably warn you off this, but a friend once told me that you can clear 99% of all known plumbing blockages by pouring down the thickest bleach you can find. Horrible stuff, but it does chew thru' the grease that clogs things up.

 

[Gromit]

White vinegar and bicarb of soda may work, its safer than Mr muscle.

 

[Willow]

I found when I had a problem with the dishawasher being blocked it was actually the sink and the water was going back into the dishwasher (and over the floor!) because it couldn't get out through the sink. So try shoving some stuff or using a plunger to make sure that's clear first.

 

[Nicensleazy]

Thanks guys. I have been working on it all afternoon and no joy. I was very tempted to use Mr Muscle, but decided against it at the last moment. Just concerned about the water pump and of course not wanting Mr Muscle in the inner dishwasher and on the plates etc......I'll call out AEG but its going to be £££££££

 

[Willow]

Thanks guys. I have been working on it all afternoon and no joy. I was very tempted to use Mr Muscle, but decided against it at the last moment. Just concerned about the water pump and of course not wanting Mr Muscle in the inner dishwasher and on the plates etc......I'll call out AEG but its going to be £££££££

Those sort of jobs are frustrating even more so when you end up calling someone out. I actually have a contract that covers all my plumbing/heating/drain issues - even to change a washer on a tap. Costs me £300 a year but that includes boiler service and I think it's worth the money given any thing I do on this type of thing is improvisation.

 

[JtB]

Try this place, they have very well informed forums
http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk

 

[LLB]

I had problems with our last dishwasher (Indesit).

All dishwashers are effectively built the same way.

There is a float switch in the metal tray on the bottom of the dishwasher, and if any of the pipes inside spring a leak the water ends up in the tray. This water then raises the styrene float which in turn trips a micro switch and the DW will either go into a pumping cycle or just cut out completely.

The filters in a DW are usually pretty good at stopping any goo getting into the pipes and the cycle makes sure the water is hot when rinsing and pumping to the drain so unless your drain is actually backing up due to fat build up this is unlikely to be the problem.

Try this first if the symptoms are as above

Unplug at the switch.

Remove the kick panel

Remove the blanking plate below the DW door to expose the floor tray and float switch

Mop out the indent in the tray where the switch float is located.

Put back together and try it again

If it fills again, then you will know that it is not just overspill from someone opening the door whilst the machine is running and best then to chuck it away and buy a decent DW as call out on this stuff can be fairly rich ( get a Bosch/AEG etc etc)

 

[Lardyboy]

Unblocking the dishwasher? I usually try prunes.

 

[Globalti]

We had a bloke at work who stuck his prick in the dishwasher.






She got the sack.