Dirty Dishes Dishwasher Fix
This article is about my dirty dishes dishwasher fix. My wife mentioned the other day that the back of the dishes didn’t feel smooth and clean. Oh-oh! I had a problem. I had no idea that dishwasher performance could deteriorate when I could still hear the water jets beating on the door. But in defense of my dishwasher, I must say that my Whirlpool dishwasher has quite a few years on it during which time I have never repaired or performed maintenance on it.
A visual inspection and partial answers
A quick visual inspection of the wash arms and general condition of the machine found that several holes on each arm were plugged up. The entire machine was coated in a rather thick layer of hard water buildup.
I looked at Youtube to give me advice. I found that most of the videos were only giving you a partial solution to the problem. Most talked about cleaning the machine of hard water buildup.
More than cleaning
Finally, I found a video that talked about making sure that the water intake and pump were clean. This was part of the problem that had not been addressed in the other clean it videos. This type of video has you check the screens that keep the large chunks of food from entering the intake of the pump. They also have you check the macerator and its screen for obstructions or blockages.
Dirty dishes dishwasher ready for screen cleaning
I’d really consider the use of a shop vacuum to remove the water from the sump area. Most of the videos did not use one. The person simply stuck their hand in the water and felt around for obstructions. A shop vac will suck out the water and any material and when you’re done you will have a clear view of the area. Then you will be able to clearly see if you have left any debris behind.
A second video that I found was how to prepare the machine for cleaning. Some of the videos were saying toss in the vinegar and start up the dishwasher. I know from first-hand experience that when the dishwasher first starts its cycle it will pump out any residual liquid before it starts filling the tub. Pour your vinegar into the dishwasher. Press the start button and your vinegar gets pumped out before it gets a chance to work, i.e. wasted money and effort.
Time and heat
This last video also talked about making sure the water from the water heater was at its hottest before starting the dishwasher. Yes, I know that all dishwashers have heaters to bring up the water temperature. But if you have a limited amount of time within which to do your magic isn’t it best to make use of all the time efficiently instead of wasting time getting the water to reach optimum temperature.
Also, the mode chosen in most of the dishwasher cleaning videos chose the normal cycle. If you’re going to use vinegar, you are going to need a few things to ensure a good cleaning job. Those things are time and heat. You’re going to need the longest cycle your dishwasher can produce and you’re going to need the hottest water/liquids. So this second video on tips to help clean your dishwasher had some very good information.
Router Rooter those arms
The last bit of information is something that I feel needs to be done to ensure that your job is complete. You will be cleaning the holes in the arms by removing any debris that has clogged those same holes. But what about any debris in the arms? Is there more debris in those arms ready to undo the cleaning you just performed? How about if a wire is inserted into the arms to ensure that the water paths to the holes are clear, debris-free and not obstructed. I found that a wire coat hanger cut and straightened can easily be inserted into the entire length of the arm. Also, consider whether the hole size is being reduced due to hard water buildup when conducting your inspection. If this is the case you may also need to carefully clear the buildup from the holes.
Agitate, Soak, Repeat
I think the best chance of success is to select the longest wash cycle with the hottest water. For me, this is the pots and pan cycle with a high temp wash option selected. Also, it doesn’t stop there. I can extend the washing cycle into a very long cycle of agitation and soaking by setting a kitchen timer and tripping the door handle every five minutes and allowing the vinegar to soak the parts for twenty to thirty minutes then starting the dishwasher again to wash off any softened hard water buildup for another five minutes. Then this process is repeated as many times as possible in the washing part of the cycle.
Recap of a dirty dishes dishwasher fix
The whole process boils down to several phases. Your goal is to achieve the most water flow that your machine can provide. Also that the water flow pattern designed into your machine returns back to design specs.
Safety
Make sure that whatever you chose to do disconnect the power. These machines are hard-wired. There are plenty of safety interlocks(door, buttons). Don’t count on the interlocks to protect you, throw that circuit breaker.
Inspection and physical cleaning
- A visual inspection of the arms for blockages and the general condition of any calcium buildup.
- Clean out of the screens and sump area.
- Clean out of the macerator area.
- The arm’s jets(holes) cleaned of debris.
- Run a wire through the arms to detect additional material stuck inside the arms.
Preparation for a cleaning cycle
- Run the water at the kitchen faucet until it is very hot.
- Fill the largest coffee cup you have with vinegar and place it upright in a secure place inside the dishwasher rack.
- Fill the dish soap cups with dishwasher detergent for a long cycle or use a dishwasher descaler.
- Select the longest cleaning cycle(mine was pots and pans).
- Select the hottest water setting option(mine was hi-temp wash).
Extend the cleaning cycle
- After five minutes of washing trip the door handle to pause the cycle.
- Allow the dishwasher to soak for twenty to thirty minutes.
- Secure the door and press the start button again.
- Repeat steps one and two for the entire washing part of the cycle.
There you have it, the most extensive list for a dirty dishes dishwasher fix. I believe that I am going to place a cleaning cycle for my dishwasher on my maintenance list.
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