My Dishwasher is Leaking from bottom of door

A dishwasher leaking from the bottom of the door means that there is a gap between the rubber door seal which is normally fixed to the lower part of the dishwasher, and the dishwasher door.  Fixing the problem is usually straightforward and inexpensive and can be repaired by even the beginner DIY'er!

Food deposits breaking the seal

You’ll be forgiven to think that because your dishwasher is used to clean your crockery every day that the inside of the dishwasher will be squeaky clean. This in actual fact is far from the truth. Unless you make it a weekly job to clean the inside of your dishwasher food deposits, grease, and other foreign objects will build up and ultimately affect the performance of your dishwasher. The most common reason for a leak at the bottom of the door on a dishwasher is food and grease deposits getting underneath the seal.

The image below is of a comparatively clean dishwasher lower door area and seal. Notice the greasy deposits running underneath where the door seal will close to create a water tight seal. This area needs to be kept clean and should be part of your routine when you empty and clean your dishwasher filters.

Dishwasher not level

The door may close in an 'out of line' position if your dishwasher is not level.   This will create the smallest of gaps for water to leak out.  Whilst this is not so common it is a possibility and should be checked, particularly if your dishwasher has been recently moved or your floor recently altered.

Dishwasher Door Seals

Having ensured that the door area of your dishwasher is clean and free from any foreign objects, and that your dishwasher is on a level surface then it is time to check your door seals for wear and tear.  If there is any sign of perishing or damage then you'll need to replace them.

For further more detailed advice see our 'dishwasher door seal' article.

Dishwasher Valves

Older dishwashers might start to accumulate broken valves. If your water inlet valve gets stuck, you will see flooding start to occur. This normally means that you have to replace the valve.

Hoses

Over time, kinks in a hose can develop into breaks and leaks. Again, this is a problem you'd expect to see on an older dishwasher.   If you're experiencing problems with leaks around the back or sides of a dishwasher, it's more likely to be due to a break in a hose. Locating the hose to be replaced should be pretty simple – just locate the puddle of water, and check the hoses nearby for breaks.

Feet

If your dishwasher is not level on the floor, it will often leak water. Other than moving the dishwasher to more level ground, the only way to fix this problem is to adjust the feet if your dishwasher has adjustable feet, or use makeshift feet to alter the level on the fly.

Draining

If your dishwasher has a serious problem with draining, it can lead to leaks. If the leaking is a secondary problem, stemming from your dishwasher draining incorrectly, check out our guide 'if your dishwasher won't drain'.