Chasing Safety: DIY Dishwasher Repair
The Why? Guy Strikes Again!
As the inspector walked through our 1926-built Tudor, he confirmed:
“This house is a tank!”
…before immediately asking if my husband and I were handy. We are handier than most, but time is scarce, as it is for everyone.
I’ve dug up our driveway in the pouring rain to redirect water from the basement and I’ve hung out of the second-floor window using a hockey stick to dislodge leaves from the drainpipe. I’ve snaked, spackled, primed, painted…and demolished.
Unclogging drains has become my specialty: overflowing outdoor drainpipes, toilet clogs, shower backups, cranky sink faucets, and now…mysterious dishwasher noises.
So, after the fire extinguisher exorcism, I turned my attention back to the clanking dishwasher. Thankfully, after a quick Google search of our dishwasher’s make and model, something shocking was revealed: There are filters, spray arms, and other parts that are meant to be cleaned!
Armed with this new knowledge and with (then 2-year-old) Guy looking over my shoulder, I opened the dishwasher door with confidence to tackle this project and there, at the bottom, were two shiny nickels.
Why? Guy: “I clean money, Mama!”
Of course! Why hadn’t I considered that one (or both) of the darlings who more than once washed slime down the sink and flushed a Mr. Potato Head pipe might be behind this?
🧠Curious about the backstory and who the Demolition Brothers are? Meet the crew here
🔍 Lessons Learned
Appliances have guts — and they’re not that scary.
Dishwashers (and probably every appliance) have filters and compartments that need regular maintenance. There are even online DIY dishwasher repair forums!
Kids will put anything anywhere — and the house will tell on them.
And in our house, the culprit is usually the “Why?” Guy or the “How Come?” Kid.
💡 What I Wish I Knew
That dishwashers like many household appliances aren’t sealed vaults. They have accessible parts you’re actually supposed to clean weekly and monthly. Cascade, Home Depot, and even Reddit have some pretty detailed appliance forums that offer maintenance tips.
🔜 What’s Next? Chasing Safety: Busy Boys Are Absolutely Draining! …and the newest pipe problems.