8 Reasons Samsung Dishwasher Not Cleaning (Fixed!)

You must agree that dealing with a Samsung dishwasher not cleaning is just as horrible as not working at all. So, it makes sense to try and troubleshoot it as quickly as possible, starting with identifying the fault.

Your Samsung dishwasher fails to clean due to a dish overload, wrong cycle setting, pre-rising fault, failed water supply, or issues with the detergent. Other times it’s due to a defective part such as the spray arm, filter, or circulation pump.

Since hand washing the dishes isn’t a permanent solution, fixing your Samsung dishwasher should be a priority. The good news is that you can troubleshoot the issue and enjoy the dishwasher’s convenience.

This guide shall discuss all the eight issues concerning your non-cleaning Samsung dishwasher and how to get it back cleaning. Remember, we are talking about saving both money and time here.

Here we go!

In a rush? Below is a summary of the eight reasons your Samsung dishwasher won’t clean the dishes (and applicable fixes).

Troubleshooting Guide to A Samsung Dishwasher Not Cleaning

–	Likely Cause	Fix
1.	Dish Overload	Remove the excess utensils and re-load your dishes correctly without overloading them.
2.	Wrong Setting	Choose each cycle according to the dish load and dirtiness
3.	Pre-Rinsing Fault	Do not pre-rinse. Use a rinse aid to remove the white spots and water softener in case of hard water usage
4.	Failed Water Supply	Clean a clogged inlet valve, but if defective, replace it. If the water pressure is below 20 psi, raise it, but if the water temperature is low below 120 ⁰F, set it correctly
5.	Detergent Issue	Only use high-efficiency dishwasher detergent and the right amount
6.	Defective Spray Arms	Unclog any obstructions on the arms (you can poke the clog out using a toothpick). In case of physical cracks, replace the affected spray arm
7.	Clogged Filter	Clean the filter thoroughly with running water and regular dishwashing soap
8.	Faulty Circulation Pump	Clean the circulation pump if clogged. If faulty, replace it

Why Is My Samsung Dishwasher Not Cleaning Dishes?

Below are the eight explanations for a Samsung dishwasher that won’t clean the dishes:

1. Dish Overload

An overload is the first check to make when you get dirty dishes after a wash cycle. You won’t have clean dishes when the dishes stick too close and face the wrong direction.

For example, when washing heavily soiled dishes or greased utensils and the nozzles lack sufficient space to spray the water, you will have dirty dishes, making you think there’s an issue with your Samsung dishwasher. That isn’t true!

Another thing is that your Samsung dishwasher is not cleaning because the glasses, bowls, forks, and spoons are nested together. They need to be spaced for cleaning to take effect.

Fix

Ensure you don’t overload your dishwasher. While at it, ensure you load it correctly by following the steps below:

Remove all the utensils from your Samsung dishwasher
If you are washing a few utensils, place them on the top of the rack, but if many, place them carefully on both the top and bottom racks
Position them with the dirtiest side facing the dishwasher center

In the case of pots and bowls, face them down
Ensure you create enough spaces between the dishes
You should also load large items at the bottom rack

Place forks and spoons in the cutlery basket (with handles facing down), but knife handles facing up, and don’t nest them together

2. Wrong Cycle Setting

Sometimes you have dirty dishes after a wash cycle due to a wrong cycle selection. Before choosing your dishwasher wash cycle, it would be best to determine the dirtiness and the dish load.

While some dishes can be spotlessly cleaned with a Normal Cycle or Dry Cycle, others, like casseroles and pots, require a more powerful cycle to eliminate food grime and grease.

Fix

Choose the right setting according to how dirty the dishes are and the load size. For example, you can choose the Normal dishwasher cycle when washing regular dishes, Auto Cycle when washing a few easy-to-wash dishes, or Heavy Cycle when washing greasier and dirtier dishes.

Why is my Samsung dishwasher not cleaning the dishes

3. Pre-Rinsing Fault

Is your Samsung dishwasher not cleaning soap not dissolving? Then it could be due to pre-rinsing the dishes.

While removing leftover foods such as meat chunks and bone pieces on your plate is highly advisable before loading them in your dishwasher, pre-rinsing the dishes is not a good idea. That is because the dishwasher detergent attaches to the grease, dirt, and sauce on the utensils and breaks them down.

When you pre-rinse, the detergent will attach to the utensils covering them with a white film which makes them appear dirtier after a wash cycle completes. Furthermore, the white spots could also result from hard water usage.

Fix

Re-wash the dishes and use Rinse Aid to help remove the white film. Also, remember not to pre-rinse the dishes in case of spots due to hard water. It’s a good idea to use a water softener.

4. Failed Water Supply

Is your brand new Samsung dishwasher not cleaning? Then you may have forgotten to connect it to a water supply line. Water is essential for your Samsung dishwasher to wash the dishes.

However, if there’s an issue with the water pressure, temperature, or supply, dirty dishes will come at the end of the wash cycle.

Below are the water issues to identify and fix:

Low water supply – Your dishwasher needs enough water to clean the dishes. If the water supply is low, it may take so long to fill or may not fill.
Defective water valve – If your home water flows okay, the issue could be with your dishwasher inlet valve. This valve opens from water to flow into your dishwasher and closes when it fills. If the valve is defective, your dishwasher won’t fill with water.

Low water pressure – If the water pressure is below 20 psi, it stops water flow to the dishwasher.
Wrong water temperature – We all know that hot water gives you cleaner dishes. If you fail to set your dishwasher water to the right temperature (120 – 140⁰F), your dishwasher cleaning ability will decrease significantly. If you set it correctly, but the temperature is still low, check the heating element for defectiveness.

Fix

In case of a water supply issue, check the water inlet valve. If it has bends, try straightening it. In case of clogging, unclog it, but if faulty, replace it.

Using a water pressure gauge, measure the water pressure; if it’s below 20 psi, raise it. If the water temperature is below 120⁰F, increase it. Also, check the heating element for continuity and replace it if it lacks continuity.

5. Detergent Issue

You should use the right dishwasher detergent (HE) in the correct amount. Using too much non-HE detergent can cause dirty dishes.

While detergent gets washed off during the rinsing phase, using it in excess will get stuck on your dishes.

You will also have dirty dishes if you use too little detergent because detergent helps dissolve grease and grime. If it’s too little, it won’t be able to remove the grease and residual food stains efficiently.

Fix

Ensure you use the right detergent (High-efficiency detergent) and in the proper amount.

6. Defective Spray Arms

Samsung dishwashers have several arms (top, bottom, and center arms) with jets allowing the detergent and water to spray out and clean the dirty utensils.

Any arm can clog or crack. When this happens, your utensils won’t clean. If you find Samsung dishwashers not cleaning top rack, then the top spray arm could be at fault. And if your bottom rack dishes are not clean, then the bottom spray arm is to blame.

The arms sometimes fail to rotate when the utensils are loaded incorrectly or the dishwasher is overloaded.

Fix

Ensure you load your dishwasher correctly. If any spray arm is obstructed or clogged, unclog it using a toothpick. If the arms have cracks or show any sign of physical damage, replace them.

7. Clogged Filter

Every dishwasher has a filter underneath the bottom rack that removes foreign food particles and other solids, preventing clogging.

If you wash the dishes daily, the filter becomes heavily saturated with waste food, and thus it needs to be cleaned periodically. If not, water won’t recirculate entirely in the dishwasher, and your kitchenware will be dirty.

Fix

Check the filter for clogging. If it’s clogged, remove it and clean it thoroughly before placing it back.

8. Faulty Circulation Pump

The dishwasher relies on the circulation pump to complete a wash cycle. The circulation pump consists of an impeller and a motor. The two drive water to the spray arms alongside the detergent.

That said, the circulation pump may fail electrically or mechanically. Mechanically, there could be clogging or lint build-up, while the impeller or motor may have shorted or burned out electrically. When this happens, no water will reach the spray arms, and you will have dirty dishes.

Fix

If there’s clogging, clean and unclog the circulation pump. If it fails, replace it.

Samsung Waterwall Dishwasher Not Cleaning

Your Samsung Waterwall dishwasher won’t clean due to the following:

Wrong cycle selection
Dishwasher overload
Failed water supply

Using too much or too little detergent
Failed components like the spray arms or circulation pump

samsung dishwasher not cleaning top rack

Samsung Stormwash Dishwasher Not Cleaning

If your Samsung Stormwash dishwasher fails to clean the dishes, it could be any of the following:

Failed water supply
Dishwasher overload
Wrong setting

Faulty circulation pump
Broken spray arms
Clogged filter

Samsung Dishwasher Not Cleaning Bottom Rack

Your Samsung dishwasher fails to clean the bottom rack due to a broken bottom spray arm, and if so, you should replace it. But before you do, inspect it for clogging and clean it, as dirt could also impair its ability to clean the bottom rack.

Another issue to consider is dish overload or improper loading. If the dishes are overloaded or improperly loaded, they’ll obstruct the spray arms, affecting the dishwasher’s ability to clean the bottom rack.

Concluding Thoughts on a Samsung Dishwasher Not Cleaning:

If your Samsung dishwasher doesn’t clean the dishes well, it could be due to an overload, wrong cycle setting, failed water supply, or pre-rinsing.

Other issues include a clogged filter, detergent issues, faulty spray arms, or a defective circulation pump, and the above is a troubleshooting guide.

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