Some water in the bottom can be normal
- Some water left in the bottom can be normal, so check how much is there before anything else.
- Make sure the cycle really finished. Opening the door can pause it.
- Kitchen sink slow or backing up too? Call a plumber before you do anything to the dishwasher.
- Otherwise, clean a removable filter with the power disconnected. Still holding water after the next cycle? Book appliance service.
Standing water at the end of a cycle looks like a broken dishwasher, but it isn't always one. We'd check two things before touching anything: how much water is sitting there, and whether the cycle actually finished. Those two answers can save you from taking apart a dishwasher that's working normally.
How much is normal depends on the filter. On GE models with an Ultra-Fine filter, water in the filter well is normal, but it shouldn't cover the bottom of the tub. On GE models without one, GE's draining guide (opens in a new tab) puts the normal amount at 1 to 2 cups of clean water across the bottom.
Other brands set their own normal amount, so look yours up in your dishwasher's manual or on the maker's support site. If that normal amount is all that's left after a finished cycle with no error, there's nothing to fix.
When it really isn't draining, the job is finding where the water is getting held up on its way out. Whirlpool's drain troubleshooting (opens in a new tab) names the frequent culprits as a clogged filter, food debris in the sump, a kinked or blocked drain hose, a problem at the disposer or sink connection, and a jammed drain pump. A faulty timer, control board or, on some older designs, drain solenoid is less common. The sink and a removable filter are yours to check. The hose connections, pump and controls are for a plumber, installer or appliance technician.
Make sure the cycle actually finished
Read the display before you change any setting, and take a photo of any error. Opening the door can pause a cycle, so a quiet dishwasher might just be paused.
On a GE GDP615HSMSS, press Start and close the door within four seconds to resume a paused cycle. To cancel and drain instead, hold Start for three seconds, then close the door (opens in a new tab). It should drain, beep and turn off the wash-cycle light. On any other dishwasher, use the cancel steps from your own model's manual.
If a lot of water is still there after the drain command, move on to the sink and filter checks. If you see heavy foam, let it settle before you run anything. Hand dishwashing liquid makes suds a dishwasher can't handle, so don't add more detergent. Keep chemical drain cleaner out of it too, because it can damage parts and create a safety hazard.
What the kitchen sink tells you
Your dishwasher drains into the same plumbing as your kitchen sink. A problem there can leave water in the tub even when the dishwasher itself is fine, which is why we'd check the sink before blaming the dishwasher.
| What you can see | What to do |
|---|---|
| The sink drains slowly or backs up | Call a plumber to clear the sink drain before you test the dishwasher again. |
| Water comes out of the air gap by the faucet | Call a plumber to check the air gap and the drain connection past it. |
| It started after a new dishwasher or disposer went in | Call the installer back. A knockout plug left in the disposer's dishwasher inlet (opens in a new tab) can block the drain. |
| A drain hose you can see is kinked | Take a photo for the installer or technician, and leave the dishwasher and hoses where they are. |
| The sink drains normally | Move on to the filters. The dishwasher's own hose and connections can still be blocked. |
Cleaning the filters on a GE GDP615HSMSS
The steps below are for a GE GDP615HSMSS, which has a cylindrical Ultra-Fine filter and a surrounding mesh plate called the Fine Filter. GE's filter-cleaning steps (opens in a new tab) cover both. Some GE dishwashers have self-cleaning filtration instead, and other models release their filters differently or allow different cleaning tools, so check your own manual before you remove anything.
- Disconnect the dishwasher from its power supply, since switching it off at the controls doesn't cut the power. Wait at least 20 minutes after a cycle before you reach inside, because the heating elements can burn you.
- Take out the bottom rack. If you see broken glass or can't reach the filters safely, stop and book service, and don't feel around in cloudy water.
- Turn the cylindrical Ultra-Fine filter counterclockwise and lift it out. Rinse it in warm, soapy water, using a sponge for stubborn bits. Don't scrub it with a brush or scouring pad, which can damage it.
- To clean the mesh plate as well, turn both retaining posts at the back of the tub counterclockwise and lift the plate out. Keep the small posts away from children, because they're a choking hazard.
- Rinse the mesh plate in warm, soapy water. A sponge or soft brush is fine for stubborn deposits on this plate, but not on the Ultra-Fine filter.
- Put the mesh plate back. Refit the Ultra-Fine filter and turn it clockwise to lock it, then turn both retaining posts clockwise to lock the plate in place. Put the bottom rack back in.
Don't run the dishwasher with a filter missing or loose, because debris can get into the pump. Once everything is locked in, reconnect the power and watch the next normal cycle. If it leaves a lot of water again, we'd stop running cycles and book appliance service. The pump, wiring, hoses and panels are a job for the technician.
When water comes back between uses
Water that never drained and water that shows up again later are different clues. Dirty water that returns after the tub has drained points to the drain connection or plumbing, and GE ties dirty water between uses (opens in a new tab) to a drain hose that wasn't installed properly, such as one with no high drain loop and no air gap connection. Leave the hose where it is and have an installer or plumber check how it's routed.
When you call, say whether the water stayed through the drain command or came back later, whether it was dirty, whether the sink backed up too, and what the display showed. Give them the full model number and mention any recent installation work. Those details are worth more than ordering a pump just because the dishwasher hums.
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