8 ways to make your dishwasher last longer

Nearly one in 10 dishwashers need to be repaired or replaced entirely due to a fault in the first seven years of ownership, according to our latest reliability survey*.

Every year, we ask real consumers about their experience using their dishwashers – and some brands prove much more reliable than others.  

But whatever brand you own or choose, it's important to look after your dishwasher to ensure it remains in good working order for longer. 

So if your dishwasher isn't cleaning properly, won't drain effectively or is starting to smell after use, follow these maintenance tips.  

Discover which dishwasher brand is the most reliable

1. Keep it clean

As with any appliance, you need to maintain and clean your dishwasher. 

Typically every 20 washes, you should clean the filter and also the spray arms to help keep everything clean and free from blockages. 

You should also wipe down the door seals, as these can hold food bits and grime. 

If your machine has a maintenance cycle, run this periodically, or as per the manufacturer's instructions. If it doesn't, then use a dishwasher cleaning detergent in an empty machine on a high-temperature wash instead.  

For further advice, read how to clean a dishwasher

2. Avoid using vinegar 

Vinegar is often trumpeted as the saviour of home cleaning. It can clean grout, remove stains and make everything smell fresh. 

However, despite some sources online advising you to do so, you shouldn't use it in your dishwasher. 

The highly acidic nature of vinegar can contribute to corrosion of the rubber seals and gaskets in the machine. It's just not a good idea. 

Use a dishwasher cleaning solution instead as part of your regular machine maintenance. 

3. Use salt and rinse aid properly

Instead of just ignoring the warning lights on your dishwasher's control panel, you should give the salt and rinse aid regular attention. 

Dishwasher salt is vital for maintaining the effective working of your dishwasher, especially in areas with harder water. 

It helps prevent the build-up of limescale, helping your dishwasher to keep working effectively for longer. But don't use everyday table salt – it's simply not suitable. 

Rinse aid is also important to help with the drying process and make sure dishes emerge bone dry and without streaks. 

Find everything you need to know in our guide to dishwasher salt and rinse aid

4. Scrape off fats, oils and leftover food

You shouldn't rinse plates or effectively do the washing up before loading your dishes, as it cancels out the energy and water you'd save by using a dishwasher over handwashing. 

However, you should scrape off any big chunks of food waste into the bin or compost before you load items. This helps to ensure the filter doesn't get blocked. 

Also, don't stack any roasting trays with lots of fat or oily waste still on them, as this can clog the pipes, just as it would with the sink drain.

5. Clean up any broken glass

It can unfortunately be easy to crack or break a glassware item when loading or unloading it from the dishwasher. 

This can lead to fragments of broken glass falling into the body of the machine. 

If this does happen, make sure you collect all these glass pieces so they don't ping around the machine during cycles and potentially cause damage. 

6. Check your dishwasher's drainage

Based on our latest reliability survey data, blocked pipes are the second most common cause of faults in dishwashers (after ineffective cleaning). 

Along with general maintenance, it's worth checking regularly that the water feed and waste pipes have not become loose or obstructed. 

If the pipes are fed under your sink where you store cleaning products, they could have been shifted and a kink formed that could increase the risk of a blockage. 

Discover the three most common dishwasher faults

7. Look for spare parts

If a part of the loading rack gets damaged, such as a wheel or support attachment, then it could be possible to replace just that part, or even the entire rack itself. 

Likewise, items such as filters and spray arms can be replaced if they get damaged over time. 

Under 'right to repair' legislation, dishwasher manufacturers are legally required to ensure spare parts are available for machines they sell for a defined period. 

So, instead of just giving up on a perfectly good machine, search online to see if spare parts are available. You may be able to fit them yourself using a guide.

8. Repair before you replace

There are a lot of dishwasher problems that you can tackle by yourself without too much technical know-how. 

For advice on relatively simple repairs, see our guide to the most common dishwasher faults and how to fix them. 

However, some faults may require a professional, or be so substantial that addressing them would be prohibitively expensive.

Use Which? Trusted Traders to find a reliable, vetted local appliance-repair specialist:

*We surveyed more than 4,000 dishwasher owners in September 2024 to determine the most reliable brands