How to Use a Dishwasher with a Broken Soap Dispenser (Two Ways!)
Is your dishwasher soap dispenser broken? Never fear! It is still possible to wash your dishes with these simple tips for running the dishwasher with a broken detergent tray.
Dishwashers are a great way to clean dishes, but what do you do if your dishwasher soap dispenser is broken?
It’s not uncommon for the soap dispenser on a dishwasher to break. The most common cause of this problem is that the latch becomes clogged with detergent or softener pods, which typically requires repair. But you might be wondering: are you still able to run the dish washing cycle even if the dish dispenser is broken?
Thankfully, you can still run the dishwashing cycle even if the dish soap dispenser is broken. One way to do this is by pouring the soap directly into the dishwasher’s empty detergent tray. Another option is to put the soap in a pitcher or bowl and then pour it into the dishwasher’s rinse agent compartment.
Read on to learn more tips about how to use a dishwasher with a broken soap dispenser!
What is a dishwasher soap dispenser and how does it work
A dishwasher soap dispenser, sometimes called a detergent dispenser, is an automated device that releases dishwashing liquid into the bottom of the dishwasher during the washing cycle. The dishwasher’s heating element then heats and dissolves the soap so it can foam up and thoroughly clean your dishes.
The most common cause broken dishwashing dispensers is that the latch becomes clogged with detergent or softener pods, which typically requires repair. Usually this is an easy fix with the right parts, but thankfully you have options to still use the dishwasher even though the soap dispenser is broken.
How to use a dishwasher with a broken soap dispenser
Fortunately, you can still run the dishwashing cycle even if the dish soap dispenser is broken. Here are two ways:
Pour soap directly into dishwasher’s broken detergent tray
If your dishwasher soap dispenser is broken, don’t worry – you can still run the dishwashing cycle by pouring the soap directly into the dishwasher’s empty detergent tray.
To do this, simply pour the liquid or powdered dishwashing detergent into the broken tray without closing the lid. The soap will fall out of the tray when you close the door, but it will still dissolve into the dishwasher water and clean your dishes.
Pour detergent into a bowl or cup and place on the bottom rack of the dishwasher
Another option is to put the soap in a pitcher or bowl and then place the bowl on the bottom rack of the dishwasher.
The water that is circulated through the dishwasher will become mixed with the detergent and will clean your dishes. However, it’s not as powerful as simply pouring the detergent directly into the broken tray.
What will happen if you don’t close the dish dispenser on a dishwasher?
Now you know how to use a dishwasher with a broken soap dispenser, but what happens if you don’t close the dishwashing detergent dispenser on your dishwasher?
If you leave the dishwashing detergent dispenser open, the soap will simply fall down the side of the dishwasher door and eventually will dissolve into the water and will clean your dishes.
It won’t have the timed release that a normally functioning dishwasher activates, but your dishes will still be clean even though the dispenser is broken.
Conclusion
Yes, it is possible to use a dishwasher with a broken detergent tray and still have clean dishes! Simply follow these two simple steps while you wait for your dishwasher repair and you’ll skip needing to wash dishes by hand.
Need more dishwasher tips? We’ve got you covered:
- Here’s Why Your Dishes Are Still Dirty After Running the Dishwasher
- Why Your Dishes Are Still Wet After the Dishwasher Cycle
UPDATE: This post was originally published in January 2021 and was updated for clarity in January 2022.
