Easy fixes for dishwasher issues

Like any other appliance in your home, over time a dishwasher will a good cleaning or a quick repair. Follow the below tips and tricks to keep your dishes sparkling.

Reset the programmer

The electronic control panels on modern dishwashers allow you to select from a multitude of wash programs. Faults in their circuits are a common cause of appliance failure.

If your dishwasher won't start, first check that it is plugged in. Then try resetting the controller — you'll usually need to press a combination of buttons and wait for a given period before restarting. Consult your user's manual for details.

Clean the filter and check the waste hose

Most drainage problems stem from a blocked filter, or food trap. You should clean the filter weekly to prevent problems.

• Switch off the machine at the main power source, then empty it of plates, pans and cutlery and remove the lower rack. Beneath, you'll see the filter assembly. Turn the lever on top of the assembly to remove the mesh filter. Clean it under a running hot tap, using a scrub brush to shift any trapped particles. Replace the filter and make sure it is securely tightened in place — if it is loose, dirty water will circulate around the dishwasher.
• Carefully pull the dishwasher away from the wall and locate the waste hose — a corrugated plastic pipe that runs from the rear of the machine (usually at the bottom left) into a hard plastic drainpipe. Make sure that the waste hose has not become squashed behind the dishwasher and straighten out any kinks.

If the machine still won't drain, you may have a faulty pump or drain valve — call for repair.

Remove obstructions and balance the machine

• Open the door of the dishwasher and check that no utensils have fallen loose or become lodged between the racks and sprayers.
• Make sure that the wheeled racks are sitting within their tracks.
• Use a spirit level to ensure that the machine is level from front to back and side to side. Turn the dishwasher's adjustable feet until it is balanced.

If the noises persist, call for repair — the bearing on the motor may be worn.

Touch it up with epoxy paint

When the coating on the tines of your dishwasher's racks chips off, heat and moisture soon cause corrosion in the metal beneath.

Use a tough, waterproof, epoxy-based paint to paint over the chipped areas. Allow it to dry for at least 24 hours before running a wash cycle.

If the problem returns, you may have no option but to buy a new rack.

Refresh it with lemon juice

Begin by cleaning the filter and wiping the rubber door seals with vinegar.

• Wash the interior of the dishwasher by running the machine empty on its most intensive program; listen out for the end of the first draining cycle — a gush of water being emptied into the drain.
• Open the door and place a cup of white vinegar onto the top shelf of the dishwasher; close the door and allow the program to finish.
• Rid the machine of the vinegary odour by putting half a cup of lemon juice into the dishwasher and running a short program.

Never use bleach in your dishwasher.

Don't let dirty dishes sit in the machine for too long — run a rinse and hold cycle if they are unlikely to be washed within a day.