How to Remove a Dishwasher

Now you can breathe a sigh of relief, because removing a dishwasher is a pretty straightforward process. All you'll need is a bit of elbow grease and a couple of common household tools, and you'll have that dishwasher out in ten minutes.

1. Turn off the electrical supply at the circuit breaker and test the dishwasher by turning the cycle on to make sure there is no power to the machine.

2. Locate the hot water shutoff valve beneath the sink and turn it off.

3. Look beneath the counter edge at the top of the dishwasher. You will see two or three brackets which hold the dishwasher to the counter. Remove the screws that are securing the brackets to the counter.

4. Grasp the dishwasher by the sides of the front and slowly pull it out. You may have to use a slight side-to-side motion if it doesn't slide smoothly. Pull it out until you have 12 to 18 inches of clearance behind the washer or until you meet a slight resistance.

5. Reach behind the dishwasher and use a flashlight to locate the connections. There will be three: a water intake hose, a drain hose, and the electrical connection. Pull the dishwasher out the rest of the way until you have used up all the slack in the connections, being careful not to catch a line on the feet of the washer.

6. Disconnect each water line, using an adjustable wrench on the water intake and drain. Trace the electrical supply to where it connects to the dishwasher wiring; this may be located under a screwed-on access plate.

7. Remove the wire nuts that hold the black and white electrical wires together and unscrew the ground wire. Your dishwasher is now ready to remove from the room.

Tip

Place a large piece of cardboard beneath the dishwasher to avoid gouging the floor with the feet of the appliance. Place the screws and wire nuts in a small covered container and store it inside the dishwasher until you're ready to reinstall.