There is 2-3 inch deep puddle of water on the bottom of my dishwasher. I removed the filter and pulled out a few bits of yuck, but nothing that I could see that was completely clogging it. I reached deeper into the drain and reached another filer that didn’t seem to be clogged as well, but since I couldn’t see it (due to its position beneath the washer) I couldn’t figure out a way to dismantle it.
I poured some Drain-O. A day later, I know have a Drain-O mixed 2-3 inch deep puddle of water.
I figure it’s one of two things: 1) a clog or some other plumbing problem deeper into the bowels of my pipes; or 2) a mechanical problem within the dishwasher.
Oy. The Drano was just about the worst thing to put in there.
From past experience, the dishwasher’s drain line is plugged. Most likely, it’s at the far end of the hose from the dishwasher - happily, this is away from the big puddle of caustic lye.
I’d start at the disposer - more than once, I’ve seen things like peach pits or clots of celery strings get wedged into the small stub of pipe sticking out of the disposer. Take the hose off, look for clogs. Then, work backwards to the air gap. Usually if this thing clogs, it will be on the side conencted to the dishwasher.
While you’re doing all of this, wearing gloves and eye protection is advisable since we have no idea how much Drano may be in the hoses.
**gotpasswords **was right, it’s most likely the drain line and if you can disconnect it, you’ll probably fix the problem.
If you’re even moderately handy (that is, if you can work a screwdriver and pliers) you should be able to easily check the drain line where it enters the garbage disposal (if you have one) or the drain coming down from underneath the sink. It’s probably a grey flexible tube, about an inch or so in diameter.
Empty the stuff from the cabinet under the sink, get a bucket & put it under the pipe, and slowly remove the drain line. Then:
reconnect it;
congratulate yourself on tackling another home project; and
Please be sure to warn them about the Drano before they touch anything. Better yet, tell them on the phone and don’t be surprised if they say “Nope” and hang up. It’s better to find out for free that they won’t work on it than to have them show up and charge you $50 to say they won’t touch it.
As **corkboard **said, it really is simple stuff to work with. Might as well try to find a clog now. If you don’t succeed, you’ve lost little. If you do succeed, you’ve saved $100.
By the way, don’t be surprised if the dishwasher starts leaking. Drano is really brutal stuff and can attack the various seals in the pump.
if you do this yourself eye protection was suggested. anything less than splash proof safety goggles (the type worn in chemistry labs) would be a real risk. these would fit tight against face all the way around and have baffled vent holes (as opposed to the particle protection kind which have small holes straight into the sides).
A dishwasher will not drain unless it runs the pump. Set the dial/buttons to a drain cycle, if the puddle goes away, fill the bottom of the dishwasher with a gallon or so of cold water, let it run through, do this a few times before running a normal cycle as the hot water will make the Drain-O eat the seals more effectively.
After you check the other end of the drain of course.
Try the obvious 0
Is the garbage disposal plugged?
Tutn on water, turn on disposal? Does it drain?
DO NOT PUT DRAANO IN THE DISPOSAL! (in case you didn’t notice, Drano is not well regarded)
Since the d/w drains into the disposal…
Also - that little chrome cap on the sink? Pull off chrome, if there is a plastic cap which unscrews by hand, do so. That is where the draib from the d/w vents.
DO NOT RUN D/W WITH THE INTERNAL CAP OFF - unless tou want a face full ow dirty water
Check the label, it’s an acid so a base like baking soda should work but I’m not inclined to go mixing chemicals without knowing the results.
I would disconnect the waste hose from the sink drain and see if you can unclog it from there. Then stick it in a 5 gallon bucket and turn the diswasher to the draining cycle to see if anything comes out. Hold the hose in the bucket so it doesn’t fire-hose your kitchen.
There are plenty of how-to sites to look at but if you feel that the discharge hose is clear then the next thing is to check the pump to see if it’s burned out. If you have Draino sitting in the bottom of the dishwasher then put on your safet goggles and gloves and bail out the water. Have fresh water nearby to wash anything you splash. You don’t want that sitting there eating away at stuff. I had drano eat a 2" x 8" hole in a cast iron drain line. That was fun. Had to cut up my kitchen ceiling and cut out all the drain lines.
if it is an acid cleaner then baking soda. couple teaspoons in water and pour in slowly. keep adding this until fizzing stops.
if it is a alkaline cleaner then baking soda will also do some neutralizing.
don’t try to pump it out with the drain cycle.
take a cooking baster (great to have one for nonfood purposes) and splash type safety goggles and rubber gloves. suck out a baster at a time into a large container. you could dispose this liquid into the toilet or bath tub with water flowing. rinse and wash anything used.
then add water into dish washer to dilute the remainder and try to do a drain cycle on that.
if in emptying hazardous liquid on self or clothes then rinse immediately with lots of cold water.