Water left in your dishwasher? How to unclog the filter, drain and pump
Water at the bottom of the dishwasher is most often a clogged filter or a kinked hose. Less often it's the pump, with a piece of glass or a pit stuck in it.
- Most common cause
- clogged filter, kinked hose, clogged trap
- Time
- 20 minutes
- Pump replacement at a repair shop
- 200–480 zł
Unplug the dishwasher before scooping out the water and looking into the pump. Watch out for glass in the filter and in the pump chamber.
Step by step
Scoop out the water
Use a sponge and a cup to remove the water from the bottom so you can reach the filter.
Clean the filter
Take out the filter and wash it. Check that no food scraps are sitting underneath it.
Look into the pump chamber
Under the filter there's the pump cover (often snap-on). Take it off and check that the impeller isn't blocked by glass, a pit or a label. Remove the obstruction.
Check the drain hose
Behind the dishwasher the hose must not be kinked. It also has to form a loop higher than the water level in the dishwasher, otherwise the water flows back.
Unclog the trap
If the dishwasher is connected to the sink trap, clean it. A new trap may have a plug in the connector that needs to be cut out.
Run the drain program
Start the drain program or a short program and check whether the water goes down.
- The pump hums but doesn't pump even though the chamber is clean.
- The pump makes no sound when draining.
- Water comes back into the dishwasher from the drain.
How much does a repair shop charge?
| Drain pump replacement | 200–480 zł |
| Drain hose replacement | 110–200 zł |
| Unclogging the drain at a repair shop | 110–200 zł |
Typical prices at independent repair shops in Poland, October 2026. Authorised service centres and big cities can be more expensive.
Repair or buy new?
Replacing the drain pump is a cheap repair. It almost always pays off to do it instead of buying a new dishwasher.
Check if it's worth repairing your dishwasher
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Is a little water at the bottom normal?
A little water in the pump chamber under the filter is normal. A puddle on the bottom of the dishwasher is not.
Can I leave the dishwasher with water in it for a few days?
Better not to. The water starts to smell and encourages bacteria.
Can I pour drain cleaner into the dishwasher?
No. Drain cleaners can damage the pump and the seals.