How Long Do Dishwashers Last? With 10 Tips to Keep Your Dishwasher in Great Shape

Is your dishwasher showing signs of age, leaving you with piles of dirty dishes and a hint of despair? Don’t rush to replace it just yet—our comprehensive guide will walk you through simple, effective DIY repair tips to extend its life and save you money. Plus, there’s a handy how-to video below to make the process even easier!

No appliance is going to last forever. Even barring unexpected mishaps, mechanical parts wear down with use and will break eventually, and with age comes loss of compatibility. As an appliance ages, its parts might become prohibitively expensive or impossible to find.

How long can you expect your dishwasher to last, though? Keep reading, we’ll answer that question and help you to reach the far side of your dishwasher’s life expectancy!

Do you have a dishwasher that you are trying to repair rather than replace? Search below using your specific dishwasher model number to identify the exact part needed:

How Long Do Dishwashers Last?

According to Consumer Reports, a dishwasher should last about 10 years total, with most lasting between 8 and 15 years before they break beyond repair. Manufacturers, too, estimate their dishwashers are built to last roughly a decade.

Those numbers don’t necessarily mean you’ll see 10 fruitful years of wash cycles with no hiccups, though. It’s estimated that about 30% of all new dishwashers will experience some sort of problem within their first five years of use. Your dishwasher will need regular cleaning and maintenance to ensure its longevity, and you may still find yourself with a few issues that necessitate repairs.

Want to maximize the usefulness of your current dishwasher? Keep reading, we’ve got some tips to keep it running in top shape!

How to Make Sure Your Dishwasher Lasts

There are steps you can take to keep your dishwasher at its best. While these aren’t foolproof methods to getting your appliance to that 15 year mark, they’ll certainly go a long way toward helping, and may save you from some costly repairs.

1. Start by buying a reliable brand. A little bit of research goes a long way! Consumer Reports regularly publishes lists of most and least reliable appliances, dishwashers included. In 2018, they rated Bosch and Thermador as top dishwasher brands in both reliability and satisfaction.
2. Make sure you scrape out large debris before putting anything in the dishwasher. Solid food matter can cause clogging or damage to important parts. Don’t let a bit of bone be the reason your dishwasher needs an entirely new pump!
3. Don’t overload or underload the dishwasher. Overloading means your dishes won’t get as clean, necessitating another run, while underloading means you’re likely running the dishwasher more than necessary. Dishwashers are durable, but every run is going to put stress on the appliance’s mechanical parts. The more efficient you are about running the dishwasher, the better for its lifespan.
4. Make sure everything’s loaded the right way. The dirtiest surfaces should face the center of the appliance, and pots and cups should be placed face down. This will ensure everything is properly cleaned with one cycle.
5. Check and clean or replace the filter regularly. It’s a good idea to check on your dishwasher’s filter every month or so and give it a good cleaning. If your dishes aren’t coming out as clean as they should, or if they feel gritty, definitely check the filter.You can access the filter in most dishwashers by removing the bottom rack from the appliance. There should be a plastic cylinder in the base somewhere that you can unscrew and remove. If there isn’t, check your appliance’s manual for more specific instructions. To clean the filter, a rinse under warm running water should do the trick! A soft sponge and a bit of soap can help, but don’t use anything more abrasive as that could damage the filter. If the filter has any holes, replace it immediately with a genuine OEM dishwasher filter. This part stops debris from reaching the dishwasher’s water pump and motor. One errant bit of hard material could result in much more costly repairs!
6. Clean the dishwasher door’s seal. Every so often, clean the seal between the door and the tub. Aside from just being gross, too much build up could disrupt the seal on the door. White vinegar should be sufficient to keep this part clean.
7. Descale your dishwasher. If you deal with hard water, you’ll want to do this as scale deposits can damage your machine and leave dishes less clean. About once a month, you can use a dishwasher cleaner to eliminate buildup.
8. Check and clean the washer arms. First, you want to check and make sure that the spray arms are able to rotate freely, both in terms of whether they’re gunked up or if something loaded in the dishwasher is blocking them. Aside from that, every opening should be clear of debris, so make sure they’re clean! Spray arms can be removed to clean them if they’re particularly dirty. The bottom one will generally come away with a gentle pull, while the top may need to be unscrewed.
9. Kitchen utensils only! It’s fine to load your dishwasher with plates, mugs, and flatware — that’s what it’s designed for! Dishwashers and their compatible detergent aren’t meant to handle things like mechanical grease or wax, so never put anything like car parts or candle jars in your dishwasher.
10. If a component does break, replace it with an OEM part. It’s not so unusual for something like a filter or a door latch to break, and thankfully these parts are pretty simple DIY fixes. While an aftermarket part may be tempting, buying OEM parts — that’s original equipment manufacturer — ensures both compatibility and quality. If you’re ever in the market for dishwasher replacement parts, AppliancePartsPros.com will have what you need!

Where To Find Us 

If you need any replacement parts for your appliances, you can enter your model number at AppliancePartsPros.com to locate and order them quickly. Most orders arrive in just two business days, and we have tons of great information in our repair help section and YouTube videos to help you troubleshoot.

Stay connected with the latest DIY tips, tutorial videos, and repair guides by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We love hearing about your repair stories and successes. If you need more help or want personalized guidance, feel free to contact or call us at 877-477-7278. We’re ready to help you take on your next project with confidence!

Since 1999, AppliancePartsPros.com has helped millions of people repair their broken appliances by providing high-quality original parts at well below retail prices, free support and troubleshooting, and award-winning customer service from an expert, friendly, US-based customer support team!