A small amount of standing water in the bottom of your dishwasher is normal, but when the amout of water is above the drain and leaks onto the floor when you open the door, the dishwasher drain hose may be clogged.
A better idea is to make a homemade solution of dishwasher unclogging products. Pour a mixture of vinegar, baking soda and hot water into the basket at the bottom of the dishwasher, let it sit for a while and run it through the drain cycle as an alternative to Drano.
Drano is for clearing clogged sink, tub and shower drain pipes. That's it. You should never put it in the toilet, and you definitely should never try to unclog a dishwasher drain with Drano. A dishwasher has a pump that actively flushes water out of the appliance.
Water in this area is actually perfectly normal, useful even. It's there to keep the seals from drying up. It drains when a cycle starts and is replaced with fresh water at the end of the cycle.
In addition to dirty dishes, you may notice dirty water sitting at the base of the dishwasher after it runs. Not only is this problem a nuisance, it can also lead to mold and bacteria, which can cause additional problems. A foul smell may also be a telltale sign of a clogged dishwasher filter.
It is normal for there to be a small amount of standing water in the dishwasher filter area (about half way up to the top of the filter area). You may notice this water when you remove your dishwasher filters for regular cleaning. The water is there to keep the seals in that area from drying up.
CLOGGED KITCHEN DRAIN
can cause blockages over time. When the drain is clogged, pressure in the pipe can cause water to back up into the dishwasher. To alleviate this problem, you can try and remove the P-trap underneath the sink and clean out the gunk. Don't forget to put a water bucket under the pipe first!
The dishwasher filter is at the bottom of your dishwasher, under the bottom rack. To find it, pull out the bottom dish rack, then look for the filter—it's usually either in one of the back corners of the dishwasher tub or around the base of the bottom spray arm.
Use a DIY mixture of equal parts baking soda and vinegar to unclog the drain. Pour the solution into the basket at the bottom. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Finish by pouring hot water down the basket and running the rinse cycle.
Depending on how frequently you're using your dishwasher, you should clean your filter anywhere from once a year to once a week, but usually every three to six months. Removing, cleaning and reinstalling your dishwasher filter is easy and takes only a few minutes.
A dishwasher filter prevents small, soggy bits of food from clinging to your newly cleaned dishes, and it keeps the drain from clogging. And yes, your dishwasher does have a filter, which means it needs routine maintenance checks, much like a filter in your car or the home furnace.
Dishwasher hoses should have a high loop at least 20 inches above the finished floor to prevent wastewater from entering the appliance if the drain clogs. Code requires that the hose connect to the sink drain on the sink side of the trap, typically with a branch tailpiece.
How Do I Unclog My Dishwasher with Vinegar? You can try a homemade solution of vinegar, baking soda and hot water to unclog a dishwasher. Pour one cup of vinegar into the basket, followed by half a cup of baking soda. Let it sit for 15 minutes before pouring boiling water down the basket to see if the clog clears.
Water in the bottom of the dishwasher results from clogs in the filter, garbage disposal, drain hose, drain pump, or air gap. When food or sediment build up within these systems, the dishwasher won't drain properly. Locating the blockage and clearing the debris will solve the problem.