Let’s be honest.
Few household disagreements are as predictable as
“Whose turn is it to do the washing up?”
Enter the dishwasher. Peacekeeper, time-saver, and quite possibly the reason some households are still on speaking terms. And as it turns out, modern dishwashers can even use less water than washing up by hand… as long as you use them properly.
But while your dishwasher might be saving relationships, it’s not always doing your drains the same favour. Because when a dishwasher starts to struggle, it’s not just your plates that suffer. Your drainage system is usually involved too.
Dishwashers might feel like a modern luxury… but they’ve actually been around longer than you’d think.
Did You Know? The Dishwasher Was Invented in 1886
It might feel like a modern kitchen essential, but the dishwasher has actually been around for well over a century. The first practical dishwasher was invented in 1886 by an American called Josephine Cochrane. Legend has it she was fed up with her fine china being chipped during washing up, so she designed a machine to do the job more carefully. Her invention used water pressure instead of scrubbing and was originally hand-powered. Early versions were mostly used in hotels and large households rather than everyday kitchens. Dishwashers didn’t really become common in homes until much later. They took off in the United States in the 1950s, but in the UK they didn’t become a familiar sight until the 1970s and 80s.
Have They Always Caused Drain Problems?
In a word… yes.
While the technology has improved massively, the basic issue hasn’t changed. Dishwashers have always been connected to standard drainage systems, and those systems have never been keen on food waste, grease, or debris.
Even in the early days, the same kinds of problems would have cropped up. Grease cooling and solidifying in pipes, food particles building up, slow draining, and the occasional unpleasant smell.
The difference now is that modern dishwashers are more efficient and used more often, which means it’s even more important to be mindful of what’s going into them. It turns out that while the dishwasher itself has come a long way since 1886, the golden rule hasn’t changed:
Your drains still don’t want your leftovers.
Getting into the habit of scraping food waste into the bin makes a huge difference. That includes fats, oils and grease the usual suspects when it comes to blockages. You don’t need to rinse everything spotless (that just wastes water), but anything chunky shouldn’t be heading into the machine.
Because whether it goes down your sink or through your dishwasher, it all ends up in the same place. And your drains have absolutely no interest in dealing with last night’s lasagne!
Over time, bits of food, grease and general residue can build up inside the dishwasher itself. Filters get clogged, spray arms slow down, and things stop working as efficiently as they should.
Thankfully, most of this is easy to deal with. A regular clean of the filter in hot soapy water and a quick check of the spray arms can keep everything running smoothly. Just make sure anything you remove ends up in the bin not washed straight back into the system you’re trying to protect.
That would be… counterproductive (and rather daft!)
It’s also worth remembering that the real trouble often sits just out of sight.
Behind your dishwasher, pipes can gradually collect grease that’s cooled and hardened over time. Seals can wear down. Small issues can quietly build into bigger ones.
Grease is particularly sneaky. It goes down as a liquid, disappears without a fuss, and then slowly solidifies in your pipework like it’s settling in for the long haul.
And that’s usually when the real problems begin.
If your dishwasher has started to smell a bit less “fresh kitchen” and a bit more “what is that?”, there’s a simple fix. A bowl with some white vinegar placed on the bottom rack and run through a hot cycle can help break down residue and neutralise odours. It’s quick, easy, and far more pleasant than pretending you haven’t noticed the smell.
How you use your dishwasher day-to-day makes a difference too.
Running the occasional hot cycle helps break down grease and keeps things flowing properly. Using it regularly stops waste from sitting and hardening. And paying attention to how it’s behaving can help you catch small issues early. Because dishwashers, like drains, don’t tend to fix themselves.
There are a few tell-tale signs that something isn’t quite right.
If it’s draining slowly, leaving water behind, making odd gurgling noises, or producing smells that definitely weren’t part of the design… it might not just be the appliance. It could be your drainage system trying to get your attention. And it’s always better to listen early.
A well-looked-after dishwasher is a brilliant thing. It saves time, saves water, and helps avoid those familiar kitchen stand-offs.
But it’s still part of a bigger system.
So a little care now keeps everything running smoothly and helps you avoid bigger, messier problems later on.
And if things aren’t flowing the way they should?
Give Happy Drains a call
07788 254933 / 0800 849 8099
We’ll sort it.
Best, David & Will
P.S…. But we’re still not doing the washing up!