Dishwasher doors are an integral part of the appliance.
You don’t want a situation where the dishwasher door is misaligned and/or doesn’t function the way it is supposed to. In some cases, this can be reason enough for the dishwasher to stop working!
What if the dishwasher door won’t lay flat?
If a dishwasher door won’t lay flat, the most common issue has to do with the hinges. One of the hinges might be broken, loose, or missing. This can cause the dishwasher door to become misaligned and not lay flat.
When you are in a situation such as this, it’s important to look at where the dishwasher door is closing. This will let you know what the real issue is.
If you continue to use the dishwasher door in its current state, you are most likely going to ruin it further.
This article will look at what to do if a dishwasher door won’t lay flat and why it’s important to act quickly before things worsen.
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Tips To Follow If Dishwasher Door Won’t Lay Flat
1. Replace the Hinge
You will want to take a look at the hinge.
The hinge is an integral part of how the dishwasher door opens and closes. If the hinge is misaligned and/or broken, you will know about it right away.
The dishwasher door is simply not going to lay flat. This is going to create a problem because water will leak out if you try to run the appliance and/or it simply won’t work.
This is why the best course of action is to gently open the dishwasher door, take a look at the hinges, and see which one is broken or loose. From here, you can either tighten the hinge or replace it.
The best option is to always try to replace the hinge so it doesn’t give you problems later on.
Another factor to account for is to see whether or not something is stuck inside the dishwasher near the hinge. This is possible due to how many dishes and/or glasses you’re washing throughout the year.
If debris gets trapped near the hinge, it’s possible it won’t allow the door to sit flat because it won’t close properly.
This is a little detail to think about before getting started on replacing the dishwasher door hinge.
2. Fix the Seal
You will also want to take a peek at the seal.
Dishwasher doors are supposed to tightly seal as soon as you lock them into place. This is because of the amount of water that’s coursing through them when washing the dishes.
If the seal isn’t proper, you might end up dealing with a water leak!
This is why making sure the dishwasher door lays flat is a must.
If you aren’t careful, it is quite possible for the dishwasher to get ruined and/or the door not to close at all later on.
3. Tighten the Rail
This is another part of the dishwasher that you want to take a look at.
Most people are going to look at the hinge and rightly so. However, you should also open the dishwasher door and see what is happening with the rails on the inside.
These rails are just as important in making sure the door closes. You want to check the rails and see whether or not something is loose or sticking out when it shouldn’t be.
It is also good to tighten the rails a bit when you are looking at them.
Even if they are not the reason for a dishwasher door not lying flat, you can still take the time to tighten them while you are there.
Related Questions
1. Why Won’t My Dishwasher Door Stay Down?
The reason a dishwasher door won’t stay down is because the hinge isn’t working properly and/or the door itself has been damaged.
2. How Do You Realign A Dishwasher Door?
The best way to realign a dishwasher door is to replace the hinge when it’s loose and/or broken. This will allow the dishwasher door to sit flat and work the way it is intended to.
Final Thoughts
These are the tips to follow if your dishwasher door won’t lay flat.
It is best to start with the hinge and then work your way through the dishwasher to see what’s going on.
Most of the issues are near the hinge and that is what you should be focusing on.
Here’s more on kitchens – how to realign a dishwasher door, how to clean steel in a dishwasher, tips for using good dishwasher pods, and how to safely move a new dishwasher.