Funny enough, I once found a toothpick wedged in a spray arm.
That made me laugh—I once found a Barbie shoe in ours. No clue how it got there, but the kids swore it wasn’t them. I’ll second the citric acid tip, too. Tried vinegar, but the smell just lingered. Lemonade packet did the trick and cost next to nothing.
Barbie shoe in the spray arm—now that’s a new one. I thought I’d seen it all after fishing out a Lego head from the filter basket, but you win. Kids have a way of making household mysteries even more interesting, don’t they? I’ve learned to check every nook and cranny before running a cycle, but something always sneaks through.
I’m with you on the vinegar thing. Everyone swears by it, but I can’t stand how the smell just hangs around for days. Tried it once and my plates smelled like salad dressing for a week. Citric acid is my go-to now, too. I actually buy it in bulk because it works wonders on mineral buildup—not just in the dishwasher, but even for the kettle and showerhead. Never tried lemonade packets though… that’s clever and probably cheaper than those branded dishwasher cleaners.
One thing I’d add: if you’re pulling out weird stuff from the spray arms or filter, it’s worth running an empty cycle with hot water after cleaning everything out. Sometimes there’s gunk hiding where you can’t see it, and a hot rinse helps clear out the last bits. Also, if your dishwasher has one of those removable lower spray arms, take it off every now and then—mine had a chunk of glass stuck inside once, which made this awful grinding noise.
Honestly, half the time fixing these things is just about being willing to poke around and not being afraid to get your hands dirty. The satisfaction when you get it working again without shelling out for a repair call is hard to beat. And hey, if you find another Barbie shoe in there, at least you’ll know where to look next time...
- Had a Hot Wheels car jammed under the lower rack once—my dishwasher sounded like a blender full of rocks.
- Agree on the vinegar. I don’t care how “natural” it is, I’d rather not eat off plates that smell like pickles.
- Tried lemonade packets after reading about it here, and yeah, it’s weirdly effective. Bonus: my kitchen smelled like a summer camp canteen for a day.
- I pull the spray arms every couple months now. Last time, found what I think was a Cheerio fossilized into the plastic. Parenting is wild.
- Honestly, half my “fixes” are just poking around until I find something that doesn’t belong. Way more satisfying than waiting for a repair guy who’ll just laugh at my Barbie shoe story.
Never thought I’d see the day where lemonade packets would be the go-to dishwasher fix, but here we are. I’m with you on the vinegar thing though—tried it once, and my plates smelled like a salad bar for a week. Not a fan.
I’ve definitely spent more time than I care to admit digging mystery objects out of the filter. Last one was a plastic dinosaur tail. The stuff kids manage to sneak in there is honestly impressive. I’ve always wondered, though—do you guys bother with those dishwasher cleaning tabs, or is that just marketing hype? I used one once and didn’t notice much difference, but maybe I’m missing something. Or maybe I’m just too stubborn to believe a $5 tab is doing more than a hot cycle and a bit of elbow grease.
Curious if anyone’s ever actually had to take apart the pump or motor. I keep thinking about it, but then I remember the last time I tried to “fix” an appliance and ended up with leftover screws...
Curious if anyone’s ever actually had to take apart the pump or motor. I keep thinking about it, but then I remember the last time I tried to “fix” an appliance and ended up with leftover screws...
Honestly, leftover screws are just part of the adventure. If you’re comfortable with a screwdriver and can snap a pic before you start, taking apart the pump isn’t as scary as it sounds. Most clogs are right at the impeller—usually gunk or, in your case, maybe another dino tail. Just unplug first and go slow. And about those cleaning tabs? I’ve seen them help with hard water buildup, but nothing beats pulling out the filter and giving it a good rinse. Sometimes old-school elbow grease really is the answer.
