This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/direct-line-fixology/2015/mar/27/how-to-fix-a-leaky-dishwasher
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| How to fix a leaky dishwasher | How to fix a leaky dishwasher |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Has your dishwasher decided to expand its operations to your kitchen floor? If you’ve come home to a small soapy flood, there are a few things you can try before you call in the experts. | |
| First of all, check your manual and make sure you’re using the right products, including rinse aid and dishwasher salt, and confirm that you’re loading the machine correctly. | First of all, check your manual and make sure you’re using the right products, including rinse aid and dishwasher salt, and confirm that you’re loading the machine correctly. |
| The next step is to make sure that the dishwasher interior is completely clean. Check the filter for bits of food waste and general unpleasantness. Then, with the machine completely empty except for a half-cup of white vinegar on the top shelf, run it on its hottest setting. You may need to hang around in the kitchen while this is going on to address any leakages as they occur, so have a book handy – hot washes are generally quite long! | The next step is to make sure that the dishwasher interior is completely clean. Check the filter for bits of food waste and general unpleasantness. Then, with the machine completely empty except for a half-cup of white vinegar on the top shelf, run it on its hottest setting. You may need to hang around in the kitchen while this is going on to address any leakages as they occur, so have a book handy – hot washes are generally quite long! |
| Next, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the “floor” of the dishwasher and run another cycle. Keep your eye open for leaks, paying particular attention to where they might be starting from. | Next, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the “floor” of the dishwasher and run another cycle. Keep your eye open for leaks, paying particular attention to where they might be starting from. |
| If the dishwasher is leaking from the front, the most likely culprit is the door seal. Check it for grit, damage and foreign objects. Give it a good clean with an old toothbrush. If the seal is split, it’s by no means difficult to replace yourself. Just make sure you buy the exact spare that your model of magic cupboard needs. | If the dishwasher is leaking from the front, the most likely culprit is the door seal. Check it for grit, damage and foreign objects. Give it a good clean with an old toothbrush. If the seal is split, it’s by no means difficult to replace yourself. Just make sure you buy the exact spare that your model of magic cupboard needs. |
| There’s a second, more important, seal that covers the lower hinge. That’s far trickier to replace, but cleaning it isn’t too difficult. Put on a stout rubber glove, ideally one with a bit of grip on the fingertip, and slip your finger about a centimetre deep between the inside of the door and the rubber seal. Run your finger up and down the join a few times. Chances are that you’ll find a rich seam of muck there. Once you’ve finished, press down on the thin metal facing on the inside of the door to make sure that you haven’t bent it out of shape. | There’s a second, more important, seal that covers the lower hinge. That’s far trickier to replace, but cleaning it isn’t too difficult. Put on a stout rubber glove, ideally one with a bit of grip on the fingertip, and slip your finger about a centimetre deep between the inside of the door and the rubber seal. Run your finger up and down the join a few times. Chances are that you’ll find a rich seam of muck there. Once you’ve finished, press down on the thin metal facing on the inside of the door to make sure that you haven’t bent it out of shape. |
| Test with a short wash to see if you’ve fixed it. | Test with a short wash to see if you’ve fixed it. |
| If the leak’s coming from underneath the most likely villain is the plumbing behind the machine. With the power source switched off, check all of the hoses as best you can – it’s often tricky to do this because you’ll be working in a very tight space. | If the leak’s coming from underneath the most likely villain is the plumbing behind the machine. With the power source switched off, check all of the hoses as best you can – it’s often tricky to do this because you’ll be working in a very tight space. |
| If you identify a loose hose it’s generally quite straightforward to push it back on and tighten up the Jubilee Clip that holds it in place. If the hose is split, you’re probably best off calling in a professional. You would need to pull the unit out of its housing to get behind it, and that is a job for the experts. | If you identify a loose hose it’s generally quite straightforward to push it back on and tighten up the Jubilee Clip that holds it in place. If the hose is split, you’re probably best off calling in a professional. You would need to pull the unit out of its housing to get behind it, and that is a job for the experts. |
| Find out more about how to fix your everyday problems at Direct Line | Find out more about how to fix your everyday problems at Direct Line |