Tired of doing all the dishes after your dishwasher broke down last night? Trust me, I know how it feels to have soap-dry hands up to the elbows after standing at the sink for half an hour. So I’m pretty sure when your beloved dishwasher went phut after dinner, your first thought was how to fix dishwasher soap dispenser door latch.
Well, you’re in luck! In this article, we’ll discuss everything that you need to know and do to fix that broken dispenser door latch of yours. So, without further ado, let’s start.
What Causes Your Dishwasher Soap Door Latch to Breakdown?
As a marvel of modern technology, dishwasher has sufficiently eased our way of life. So, whenever there is any slight problem with this machine, it suddenly renders the whole thing non-functional.
Although an incredibly common situation to have for every dishwasher owner, these problems can be avoided if you just know the reasons behind them beforehand.
Old Age
One of the most common reasons why a machine breaks down is old age. When you’ve used your dishwasher every day of the year for many many years, it is bound to develop some problems along the road. Even if you buy the Best Countertop Dishwasher Reviews, it will eventually wear down with time.
Not Using It Properly
When you want a machine to provide you with a good service, you gotta take proper care of it. Especially for a necessary machine, like a dishwasher, you need to be extra careful.
Start by thoroughly going through the user manual before using it. Or let someone who’s used it for a long time teach you how to do it. If you’re using the dishwasher how it should be used, there is no need for it to get broken so easily.
Lack of Maintenance
Another important task for a dishwasher user is to regularly repair and maintain the door latch if you want it to serve you for years to come. You should clean it regularly for maintaining extra hygiene as well.
Sometimes brittle plastic from older latch might break off or bent out of shape. So when you give your time for maintenance, you’ll be able to take care of such issues before creating any problem.
Broken Internal Mechanism
When you notice that your dishwasher soap dispenser won’t open, it could be indicative of an internal failure in the mechanism. Even if a minute part of the lock is broken, it can start a chain of problems for the dishwasher.
How to Fix the Dishwasher Soap Dispenser Door Latch?
When you have a dishwasher soap dispenser latch broken, there is no way around it other than replacing it. And this task of replacing the dispenser is quite easy, and you can do it yourself. So, let’s have a look at its step by step process.
Step 1: Secure the Dishwasher
Before trying to fix any electrical equipment, it is mandatory to unplug it from any power supply. In the case of a dishwasher, unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet. You may also turn off the circuit breaker for better safety.
Then check if the dishwasher has really been turned off completely by trying to turn it on. Check if the control panel lights up when you press the buttons.
Step 2: Separate the Door Panel and Control Panel
To remove or fix the dispenser, you have to separate the door panel from the main body. Start by opening its door and removing the Torx screws of the inner door panel. You should use a Torx head screwdriver for this purpose of the size no. 15.
Before removing the final screws, don’t forget to support the door panel with one hand so that the door doesn’t fall.
After opening all the screws, pull out the outer door and uncover the interior door panel. Now disconnect the control panel from the control wire by pulling the wire. This will give you access to the rear side of the interior door panel.
Step 3: Remove the Dispenser
To separate it from the dishwasher, gently pull the wire connector from the dispenser. Now remove the mounting bracket screws and pull them off. Since it is very light, you can just let it hanging there by the dispenser wire harness.
While it is hanging, release the locking tabs and pull the dispenser free from the dishwasher.
However, if you’ve got a machine that is older than 2006, then you might notice an insulating material behind the detergent dispenser. In that case, you’ll need to remove it.
There will be a spring underneath it, which is connected to the dishwasher door. If it has deviated, reconnect it. In case you find it broken or there is no spring at all (for newer models), then you’ll have to replace the door spring as well.
Step 4: Dishwasher Soap Dispenser Replacement
From now on, things will seem pretty easy. After removing the previous dispenser bracket module, you have to replace it with a new one in the same place.
After placing a new one, but the mounting bracket in place and tighten the screw that you removed previously. Now reattach the wire connector to the dispenser panel.
Step 5: Reattachment
This step is the same as the previously mentioned second step, except in reverse order. Reconnect the dispenser and replace the Torx screws. Then attach the control panel with the outer door panel.
Final Step: Plug the Dishwasher Back
Now turn on the power socket and reset the house circuit breaker. Check if the dishwasher works, turning the dishwasher on using the dial.
When the power is reconnected, you can place the soap in the dispenser and be able to open or shut the door as you wish.
Recommended Countertop Dishwashers You May Buy
Since we’re discussing countertop dishwasher problems, we thought it would also be best to suggest you our pick for some great dishwashers on the market.
We’ve picked only three out of dozens and dozens of products out there. So there is no doubt these are the cream of the crop.
1. BLACK+DECKER BCD6W Compact Countertop Dishwasher
If you want a great dishwasher with a smart and slim look, then this one will catch your attention. It gives you the cleanest dishes with an effortless control system. Capable of accommodating dishes up to 10 inches in diameter, its large space will clean all your dishes at once no matter how large your family is.
2. RCA RDW3208 CURRDW3208 Counter Top Dishwasher
When affordability is your top concern yet with the best quality, go for this beautiful white dishwasher from RCA. Its most attractive feature is the low water consumption, which you will love if you are environmentally conscious. Besides, its installation doesn’t need a plumber as it quickly hooks to your faucet.
3. Farberware FDW05ASBWHA Portable Countertop Dishwasher
As you can see from the name itself, it is a portable dishwashing machine. Because of this necessary feature, the item is smaller than usual dishwashers. But don’t let the size fool you because it can still hook up for almost all the dishes of a small family.
Conclusion
Fixing dishwasher door latches by replacing them isn’t that hard a task. Just don’t forget to note down the specific model and style of your machine before ordering it.
Instead of incurring massive costs by hiring a specialist to repair it, you can simply learn how to fix dishwasher soap dispenser door latch from here and do it yourself.
