O/T - Dishwasher help please!

[Box of Frogs]

We have a Whirlpool dishwasher that is probably about 4-5 years old and it is not cleaning stuff properly.

We use it on a hot setting mostly but despite rinsing stuff off before we put it in, we find things like cups aren't fully clean when they come out. This has only started happening in the last couple of months.

I have taken out the cleaning arms and blown them through, cleaned the filter at the bottom out and run dishwasher cleaning fluid through it but it has made no difference.

Any white goods experts out there able to offer any advice before I have to go out and buy a new one?

 

[swindonseagull]

what sort of dirt is it?

is it not cleaning properly? or is it "recycled" dirt?

Take the rotary arm out and clean it inside, it should be easy to remove, and it often gets clogged with food remains, if the filters are not cleaned..

You have cleaned the filters?

 

[Box of Frogs]

Seems like recycled dirt - grainy stuff. Had the arm off and the filters out.

 

[Martinf]

If you have to eventually buy a new one my advice is Bosch. We've had a bog-standard Bosch dishwasher for almost three years now - used every day and never had a problem.

 

[drew]

We had a problem with items in the lower tray not cleaning. Worked out that the cutlery basket had a whole in the bottom (larger than the normal holes) and an item was fallen through and stopping the lower rotary arm going round.

 

[Bry Nylon]

PM Muhammed 'i'm hard' Bruce Lee

He's an ex-Royal Marine and a white goods engineer.

Should be able to offer a solution for most problems!

 

[Box of Frogs]

If you have to eventually buy a new one my advice is Bosch. We've had a bog-standard Bosch dishwasher for almost three years now - used every day and never had a problem.

We were looking at some new ones today in preparation for the worst and we liked the look of a couple of Bosch and SMEG ones, both around the same sort of price.

 

[Box of Frogs]

We had a problem with items in the lower tray not cleaning. Worked out that the cutlery basket had a whole in the bottom (larger than the normal holes) and an item was fallen through and stopping the lower rotary arm going round.

Have had that but eliminated it by removing the cutlery basket completely.

 

[Box of Frogs]

PM Muhammed 'i'm hard' Bruce Lee

He's an ex-Royal Marine and a white goods engineer.

Should be able to offer a solution for most problems!

Cheers - PM sent.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Any white goods experts out there able to offer any advice before I have to go out and buy a new one?

My Uncle built up a multi-millionaire pound business selling white goods.






He's a fridge magnate

 

[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

as others have said, make sure the spray arms are clear, make sure the stuff is stacked correctly.
is it heating up?
depending in the age of the whirlpool is will have either a base element (visible L shape in the base) or a tubular heater which is in the base of the appliance underneath the cabinet.
if you can see the element, you should have a stat with a re-settable red button.
you will have to turn it on its side and remove the panel to get to this though.
if this is ok, and its heating up fine then the likely problem will be the re-circulation motor.

 

[Box of Frogs]

It is definitely heating up ok so I guess that means the recirculation motor is probably the cause. Is this economically viable to fix or are we better off getting a new dishwasher? Bearing in mind this one is (I think) around 5 years old.

 

[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

it aint cheap.
set the arms up in a straight line, run the washer for a couple of mins and the open the door to see if theyve moved

 

[Box of Frogs]

Thanks - I'll give it a go.


Sent from my iPhone using that Tappy talky thingy

 

[Box of Frogs]

Well thats that then - lower arm moves about as much as John Terry whereas the top one moves fine!

Off to Currys!

Thanks for all the help and advice.