Dishwasher Not Cleaning Dishes — West Hollywood Repair

What this symptom usually means

A dishwasher that's not cleaning is often not broken at all. Before we talk parts, we look at what's going in, what detergent is being used, and whether the hot water line has been primed. Then we move on to mechanical causes. Below is a breakdown of the most common causes we find on this exact problem, roughly in order of frequency.

Common causes, in order of likelihood

Clogged spray arm

Spray arm holes get plugged with food particles. Dishes above them don't get sprayed properly.

Weak water pressure / cold water entering

Most dishwashers expect hot water in. If the sink hasn't been run first, or if the hot water line is restricted, cleaning suffers.

Worn wash pump impeller

After years of use, the impeller can wear down enough that the spray pressure drops below what's needed.

Clogged chopper / food grinder

Modern dishwashers grind food debris; when the chopper fails or clogs, particles recirculate onto clean dishes.

Wrong detergent or rinse aid empty

Rinse aid reservoirs that have been empty for months, or the wrong detergent, can cause filming and residue that looks like a cleaning failure.

When it's time to call

Call when you've run hot water at the sink first, used fresh detergent, and results are still poor. We'll check the mechanical side.