You open your dishwasher, ready to put away the clean plates, but bam—your feet stop, your nose wrinkles, and you catch yourself staring at a pool of water sitting stubbornly at the bottom. Kind of off-putting, right? Most people expect a dishwasher to clean and dry everything, not to leave behind a mini indoor swamp. The mystery deepens if it keeps happening. Are you just unlucky, or is there something hiding in there causing the flood?
What’s Going On Inside Your Dishwasher?
Let’s pull back the curtain and get into the guts of your dishwasher. These machines are more clever than they look: water jets blast dirty dishes, then the unit drains everything out through pipes and pumps hidden underneath. But the system depends on a clear path. If anything gets in the way, water starts pooling up.
Dishwashers cycle water through with a circulation pump, then drain it out with a separate drain pump at the end. Filters, pipes, hoses—each has its job. About 30% of Australian homes run their dishwasher most days, so these parts see a lot of action; crumbs, seeds, broken glass, and even labels can block something up. Tiny bits you don’t even notice can gather and form clogs after a few cycles. Sometimes the drain isn’t completely blocked, but slowed. The pump can only push so much, so water drains sluggishly and collects on the bottom after a cycle.
There’s another culprit people forget: dishwashers connect to the kitchen sink’s plumbing. If you’ve got a blocked sink pipe or you’ve stuffed your garbage disposal without running it, water won’t drain from either appliance properly. I once found a stray LEGO in the trap—Orion’s handiwork during what I can only call “lose your stuff in the kitchen” week. Kids, right?
Below is a simple table showing the most common causes for standing water, based on appliance repair callouts across Perth in 2024:
| Cause | Estimated % of Cases |
|---|---|
| Clogged filter | 35% |
| Bloked drain hose | 25% |
| Faulty drain pump | 20% |
| Sink/disposal clog | 10% |
| Installation/plumbing issues | 10% |
Filters are clearly the standout. Most owners have never taken them out or even know they exist!
Why Cleaning and Maintenance Really Matter
Let’s face it: no one buys a dishwasher and thinks, “I can’t wait to clean this thing every week!” But a hidden build-up isn’t just about standing water; it can trigger weird smells, unhealthy mould growth, or even cause the motor to overheat. The Aussie climate, especially here in Perth, doesn’t help—the hard water adds limescale, making clogs form faster than you’d expect. The latest CHOICE lab report showed over 40% of dishwashers older than five years suffered some kind of drain or filter issue.
Why do neglected filters matter so much? Well, that filter is like the bouncer at a nightclub, stopping big chunks from hitting delicate machinery. Once it’s blocked, water sits with all the leftover food bits and starts to stink. If you’ve ever smelled rotten eggs coming from the dishwasher, that’s probably standing water mixing with decomposing leftovers. Gross, right?
Your dishwasher’s instruction manual usually has a section on filter cleaning, but here’s the real talk: most people only notice the filter when it’s caused real trouble. I know, it’s boring. But just like checking your car’s oil, saving yourself a headache means doing the dull stuff before trouble starts.
Here’s a list of things everyone should check weekly or monthly, depending on how much you use your appliance:
- Remove and rinse the lower filter under running water.
- Wipe down the edge of the door seal—crumbs love to hide there.
- Check the drain area for bones, seeds, or glass shards.
- Give your dishwasher a hot cycle with vinegar or a cleaner tablet every few months.
Not only will your dishwasher drain better, but your plates come out shinier, and the machine lasts way longer before needing repairs. Plus, filters are easier to deal with than calling a plumber for a full strip-down!
Finding and Fixing the Problem Yourself
So, you’ve got a pool of water. Before you call a service tech, there’s a bunch you can try without risking an electrical fire or flooding the kitchen. Make sure the dishwasher is off and unplugged for safety.
- Check the filter. It’s usually at the bottom. Twist to remove, rinse off, and poke at the screen with an old toothbrush if stuff is stuck. The difference this step makes will surprise you.
- Remove any nasty bits in the sump (the little well under the filter). You might find food, labels, or even metal twist ties hiding down there.
- Have a look at the drain hose. If it runs under the sink, disconnect it (after putting a bucket under the pipe—trust me on this one). Blow through it gently or run water to see if it’s blocked up. Sometimes you’ll see a buildup of greasy gunk in there.
- If you have a garbage disposal, run it for 30 seconds with cold water. Broken disposals or clogs stop dishwashers from draining properly.
- Inspect the air gap (if you’ve got one on the sink) for debris. Air gaps are like mini chimneys that stop backflow—if they get clogged, water can’t drain.
- If all of that doesn’t work, you may have a bad drain pump or electrical issue. At this point, call a pro unless you love hunting for parts and busting your knuckles on tight screws.
I’ve been through this with my own dishwasher more than once. Orion dropped a gummy bear in there—apparently, even small candies can form sticky blockages that harden. Who knew dishwashers could teach lessons about parenting too?
The table below breaks down DIY efforts and their success rates, based on local technician feedback from the last 12 months:
| Action | Approximate Fix Rate |
|---|---|
| Filter clean | 65% |
| Drain hose clearing | 20% |
| Air gap/sink fixes | 10% |
| Pump replacement needed | 5% |
You’re most likely to solve it with a good filter clean. For stubborn cases, professional repairs can cost anywhere from $120 to $350 depending on your area and your model, but you can dodge all that if you get into a routine with maintenance.
Keeping Your Dishwasher Draining Right
Most of the time standing water happens because we forget about the little things. Life gets busy—kids leave surprises, mates dump their plates without scraping, and let’s be honest, everyone thinks the “quick” cycle can handle way more than it really can. The best habit is building checks into your weekly routine, especially if you use the dishwasher daily (which is most of us these days, to save water—yep, newer dishwashers can use as little as 10 litres per cycle).
Rinsing isn’t always needed, but a quick scrape or wipe goes a long way. If you notice cloudy glasses, gunk around the filter, or slow draining, tackle it before it becomes a pond. Stick to powders or tablets over cheap gels; gels can form sludgy deposits that block the system. Some Aussie homes with older plumbing might get more frequent clogs, especially in areas with hard water—it’s worth grabbing a limescale remover to use every season.
And one last tip: always check pockets and test your utensils. Small plastic caps, wrappers, even hairpins can get loose and sneak into the works. With all the chaos of 2025 family life, the dishwasher needs a little love too. A happy dishwasher is a kitchen MVP—just not when it tries to start an indoor pool party!