You’ve probably asked, “Why is my dishwasher not cleaning?” while pulling out a dirty fork at least once. It’s annoying, to say the least — what’s the point of a dishwasher if it won’t do its one job? Though they look simple, dishwashers have a lot of moving parts that can break down or malfunction over time.
When you need a dishwasher repair service in Wichita, KS, call the professionals at Rick’s Appliance Service. We’ve proudly served Wichita since 1964 and can help you with all your tricky dishwasher needs. Keep reading to learn about why your dishwasher won’t clean your dishes.
Something Is Clogged
With as much food residue that goes into the dishwasher, it’s no wonder you occasionally end up with clogged parts. Clogged spray arms may reduce how well your dishes get washed since water can’t spray out evenly, while a filter blockage may cause all your dishes to feel grimy. You can remove your filter to remove any bits of food or detergent residue that have gotten stuck. If this doesn’t solve your problem, you may need to hire a professional to handle a clog deeper in the system.
A pump failure will cause your dishwasher to stop draining. This is usually caused by a clogged pump.
Something Is Broken
Several parts can break inside dishwashers, like the soap dispenser or inlet valve. Soap dispensers are often due to a jammed spring, while an inlet valve may have become faulty over time.
You Chose the Wrong Settings
There are a few different settings you can get incorrect that will leave you wondering, “Why is my dishwasher not cleaning?”
- Type of detergent: Pre-measured detergents perform better because they’re designed for efficient cleaning.
- Amount of detergent: You can accidentally use too little or too much powder or liquid detergent, causing your dishes to not be clean enough or develop a film.
- Water temperature: Water temperatures below 120 degrees Fahrenheit won’t clean your dishes effectively, while temperatures hotter than this can scald.
- Cleaning cycle: The Quick Wash setting can’t be used for everything; be sure to adjust the dishwasher cycles based on how dirty the dishes are.
- Water pressure: Incorrect water pressure may cause the dishes to not get clean enough.
The Dishes Are Too Clean
A modern energy-efficient dishwasher may have sensors that will detect how dirty your dishes are to determine which cycle to use. If you rinse your dishes too well, it may assume they’re mostly clean and won’t run for very long.
Dishes Are Too Close Together
Improper loading will leave you with dirty dishes because water can’t hit each item. Give your dishes some room to breathe so they can wash properly.
Call Rick’s Appliance Service Today
Contact us today if you’re wondering, “Why is my dishwasher not cleaning?” We’ll stop by and inspect your dishwasher to see where the problem lies. Repairing a dishwasher will save you money, so before you replace your dishwasher, call Rick’s Appliance Service at (316) 265-2866 and we’ll be happy to help.