How To Drain A Dishwasher With Standing Water? [2023 Guide]

Have you noticed standing water in the dishwasher?  Standing water indicates your draining system is not working for some reason.

So it is essential to know how to drain a dishwasher with standing water. Let us explain the draining process & how to fix it.

How To Drain A Dishwasher With Standing Water?

Your dishwasher draining system can stop working due to several reasons. The most common reason is food sticking in the filter area. It is important to fix standing water problems to make the draining system alright. 

1. Keep towels under the dishwasher.

2. Before starting to drain standing water it is a must to remove all the dishes from your dishwasher. If you have dirty dishes then isolate them to your kitchen. After fixing the draining issues you can clean it back. You should also remove the bottom rack to make the fixing process simple.

3. A dishwasher is an electric appliance. So when you are dealing with electric items it is mandatory to keep caution to avoid an accident. That is why it is important to check the dishwasher connection plug & turned it off. Standing water can create disaster if it gets electricity. So, make sure that you turned off the switch.

4. Take a measuring cup or bowl to bring out the standing water. You may also use a towel when the standing water becomes too shallow.

Now you are done with draining standing water.  Now it is essential to fix draining issues to get rid of standing water.

Often people get afraid to see the standing water & jump to call the plumber.

But fortunately, it is a simple task that you can solve easily at home. So why waste money to call professionals.

Follow the step-by-step guide to fix the drain dishwasher with standing water. Let’s explore how to fix draining issues.

Try DIY Method

Before going to any serious steps we suggest trying to use vinegar & baking soda. It is an effective DIY method to fix draining issues.

Take one cup of baking soda & vinegar. Then mix it properly. Now pour the mixture into the standing water of the dishwasher. Keep it for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, check your machine. If it starts draining accurately then clean it with hot water.

So click on the rinse cycle. It will remove the blocked debris from the dishwasher to restart the draining. If it is still not draining then try the below steps.

1. Check the drain hose

Now your preparation is done. Let’s start the main process to fix draining issues. Check the drain hose carefully. 

A block in the drain hose can cause standing water. Because the drain hose tube is connected with the garbage disposal. 

So there is a high risk of food or grime clogged in the drain hose. You will find it under the sink of the dishwasher.

Take out the dishwasher machine from the wall to check the drain hose perfectly.

2. Clean Drain hose

You need to detach the drain hose from your dishwasher to clean it. Take a plier to remove the clamp near the drain hose.

Put a pan or bowl under the hose to catch the water that may be on the drain line. Now your drain hose will easily be removed from the machine.

Now the question is how to clean the drain hose?

Don’t worry, it is simpler than you can imagine. Just use commercial de-cloggers to clean it perfectly.

But if you don’t find any grime, dirt, or debris in the hose then it indicates drainage blocked.

It may be due to an air gap. If you have installed an air gap then check it carefully.

3. Change filter

If your problem is not still fixed then check the dishwasher filter. A block in the filter may cause standing water.

Filter cleaning is an important task to keep your dishwasher fit. Check your user manual to locate the dishwasher filter.

Depending on the model & brand the filter location also varies. In the manual, you will also get instructions on how to clean the filter.

Most of the time the filter is situated in the inside bottom of the dishwasher.

4. Inspect Drain Valve

You will find the drain valve at the lower part of the machine. Check the drain valve whether it moves freely or blocks on the place. Drain valve blocks can also cause standing water.

5. Clean Pump

The dishwasher pump has two impellers. One pump flows water into the dishwasher & other pumps water out to the drain often grime, food or broken glass confine the impellers from flowing water.

As a result, water stands in the dishwasher. So clean the pumps to ensure the water flow.

6. Clean the sprayer arms

You will find the sprayer arms at the lower part of the dishwasher. Take out the sprayer arms to check for debris.

Then clean the hole with a wire hanger. Now wash it with warm water to ensure that all the debris is removed accurately.

7. Check Drain

You will find the dishwasher drain at the bottom of your machine. It is a basket-shaped element.

You need a screwdriver to remove the drain. After removing the drain, clean it with a de-clogger device.

8. Final Checking

I hope now your draining issues are solved.  You should run a complete cycle to check whether your dishwasher draining system is working or not. 

After the cycle is over if the machine contains standing water that indicates the issue is not solved yet. In that case, you should get professional plumber help.

FAQs

Final Verdict

You can face standing water for so many reasons. That is why it is common to ask how to drain a dishwasher with standing water.

Besides draining the dishwasher with standing water, we try to cover all the possible solutions to fix your draining system.

I hope you are happy to know that draining a dishwasher with standing water is easy & simple.

When you are cleaning the dishwasher make sure you use the right type of detergents that manufacturers recommend. It will reduce the chance of drain blockage. So you can smoothly use your dishwasher without issues.