I’ll usually compare what I took out to what’s left before stressing. Overthinking it can waste time too, at least in my experience.
That’s a solid approach. I’ve definitely wasted an afternoon second-guessing every leftover screw, only to realize the manual covered three different models. It’s smart to trust your process and not get bogged down by every extra part. Sometimes, “good enough” really is good enough when you’re just trying to get the dishwasher running again.
Sometimes, “good enough” really is good enough when you’re just trying to get the dishwasher running again.
Couldn’t agree more. Last time I tackled ours, I had two mystery bolts left over and spent half an hour retracing my steps. Turns out, they were for the optional hard water filter—which we don’t even have. I swear, appliance manuals are like choose-your-own-adventure books. If it runs quiet and doesn’t leak, I call it a win and get back to composting the veggie scraps.
- Been there with the leftover parts—sometimes I think appliances are just testing us.
- Manuals are wild. I once followed a diagram for a “universal” part and ended up with a screw that literally had no home.
- If it’s running, not leaking, and doesn’t sound like it’s grinding gravel, I’m calling it a success.
- Honestly, I’d rather spend my time figuring out how to get the last bit of kale out of the crisper than decoding those exploded diagrams.
- Only thing I’ll add: I do a quick check for leaks under the sink for a couple days after any “good enough” repair. Just in case.
- And if it saves me from buying a new dishwasher (or calling someone in), that’s less waste and more money for the garden.
- Not sure if anyone else does this, but I keep all the mystery bolts in a jar—never know when they’ll come in handy for some other random fix.
If it’s running, not leaking, and doesn’t sound like it’s grinding gravel, I’m calling it a success.
- Same here. If the thing turns on and doesn’t flood the kitchen, I’m chalking it up as a win.
- Manuals are a nightmare. I tried to follow one for my dishwasher and ended up with three screws left over. Still works, so I guess they were “optional”?
- I do the leak check too, but I also run a short cycle with the door open just a crack (towel on the floor) to see if anything drips right away. Not sure if that’s overkill, but it’s saved me once.
- The jar of mystery bolts is genius. I’ve got a whole drawer of random bits now—never thought I’d actually use any, but last week one fit perfectly when my cabinet hinge broke. Go figure.
- One thing I learned: take photos before you start pulling stuff apart. I thought I’d remember where everything went, but nope. Ended up watching YouTube videos just to figure out how to put the spray arm back in.
- Not sure about everyone else, but I always unplug or flip the breaker before messing with anything under there. Got zapped once and that was enough.
Honestly, half the time I’m just hoping the next load of dishes doesn’t end up with soap all over them. But yeah, if it saves me from shelling out for a new machine or calling someone in, I’ll take a few leftover screws any day.
Leaving a few screws out usually isn’t a big deal, but sometimes those “extras” are holding something important—seen a few dishwashers rattle apart over time because of that. Photos before disassembly are a lifesaver, totally agree there. Curious if anyone’s run into persistent drain issues after a DIY fix? Sometimes it’s just a kinked hose, but I’ve seen clogs in the air gap or disposal connection trip people up.
