With the filter removed, shine a light into the drain hole. If you see standing water that won't budge, you may have a deeper clog in the drain hose. However, for minor clogs, use a homemade cleaning solution.
Sprinkle ½ cup baking soda into the drain hole, then pour 1 cup white vinegar. Let it fizz for 10–15 minutes to break down grease and soap scum. clean drain dishwasher
Arthur stood before the dishwasher, a silent monument to his domestic failure. For three days, a gray, stagnant pool of lasagna-tinted water had sat at the bottom, mocking him. It smelled like a locker room in a swamp. "It’s just the drain," he muttered, armed with a bent coat hanger and a bucket of misplaced confidence. He started by pulling out the bottom rack, revealing the "swamp." Step one was the filter—a plastic cylinder that looked like it had been used to strain gravel. As he twisted it loose, a cocktail of coffee grounds and what appeared to be a prehistoric pea pod drifted to the surface. He rinsed it in the sink, watching the grime vanish, feeling the first spark of a hero’s journey. But the water remained. Next came the manual scooping. With a cracked plastic cup, Arthur began the soggy transit from the machine to the sink. With the filter removed, shine a light into the drain hole
You load the dishwasher, press start, and expect sparkling clean dishes. But lately, you’ve noticed a lingering smell, or worse—a puddle of grimy water sitting at the bottom of the tub after a cycle. Sprinkle ½ cup baking soda into the drain
Replace the filter and rack. Run a short hot-water cycle with no detergent to flush out loosened debris.