How to Uninstall a Dishwasher in 6 Simple Steps

By
Aaron Stickley
Aaron Stickley

Aaron Stickley is a licensed plumber with 15 years of experience in commercial, new residential plumbing, and residential service and repair. He started his own residential service and repair plumbing business. Aaron's articles about plumbing on The Spruce span four years.

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Updated on 04/16/24
Reviewed by
Richard Epstein
Richard Epstein
Reviewed by Richard Epstein
Richard Epstein is a licensed master plumber with over 40 years experience in residential and commercial plumbing. He specializes in estimating as well as design and engineering for plumbing systems, and he works for one of New York's largest union plumbing construction companies.
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In This Article
Project Overview
  • Working Time: 1 hr
  • Total Time: 1 hr - 1 hr, 30 mins
  • Yield: Remove dishwasher from base cabinets
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Estimated Cost: $10 to $15

Removing an existing dishwasher is the first step when installing a new dishwasher, remodeling, or rearranging the kitchen footprint. With hidden brackets and floor obstructions, a dishwasher can be tricky to remove. But with two basic tools, you should be able to uninstall a dishwasher in about an hour.

removing a dishwasher

The Spruce / Ana Cadena

Before You Begin

Before removing the dishwasher, disconnect the power source and shut off the water.

  • Power source: Turn off the circuit breaker that controls the dishwasher and turn the breaker off. Also, look under the kitchen sink, in the cabinet, for the dishwasher's wall outlet. Unplug the cord. If you cannot find the cord, it may be located directly behind the dishwasher. In this case, wait until you have pulled out the dishwasher to unplug it.
  • Water source: Shut off the dishwasher's water supply. This will usually be located under the kitchen sink and attached to the hot water pipe or to a two-way shutoff valve that controls water to both the faucet and the dishwasher. 

Tip

If the dishwasher has been plumbed without a fixture shutoff valve, then you will need to turn off the home's main water valve before disconnecting the water line. 

Safety Considerations

Dishwashers present a dangerous tipping hazard when the door is open. If the dishwasher has been removed from the cabinet bay and the door is open, the door may cause the entire unit to tip forward.

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What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Channel-lock pliers
  • Screwdriver

Materials

  • Drop cloth (optional)
  • Rags

Instructions

  1. Remove the Bottom Faceplate

    Remove the bottom metal or plastic faceplate located on the lower part of the dishwasher. Sometimes there are mounting screws that hold it in place. Turn out the screws with a hand screwdriver or use a cordless drill. On other models, the faceplate may be held in place with simple spring clips. 

  2. Disconnect the Water Supply

    Behind the faceplate is a metal water supply line. Disconnect this line from the dishwasher with the wrench. Next, go under the kitchen cabinet under the sink and disconnect the water supply line that leads to the dishwasher.

  3. Disconnect the Drain Line

    Disconnect the dishwasher from the drain line by first locating the rubber hose from the dishwasher and tracing it to the end connection. It may run upward to connect to an air gap fitting mounted to the sink or countertop. If so, loosen the clip or clamp holding the hose to the air gap, Then, detach the hose.

    If the drain hose does not run to an air gap, it will terminate at a nipple fitting on the food disposer or sink drain tailpiece. If so, detach the hose at this point. 

    What Is an Air Gap?

    The air gap is a safety device designed to prevent wastewater from siphoning back into the dishwasher and contaminating clean dishes.

  4. Unfasten the Mounting Brackets

    Locate the two metal mounting brackets screwed into the bottom of the countertop above the dishwasher. Open the dishwasher door and look under the lip of the kitchen counter to find these brackets. Remove the screws holding the dishwasher in place.

  5. Lower the Dishwasher

    With the wrench, twist the threaded legs clockwise to lower the dishwasher's body. Lower it as far down as possible to create space between the top of the dishwasher and the bottom of the countertop. 

  6. Remove the Dishwasher

    Lift the dishwasher slightly to help the legs clear the edge of the floor. It helps to have a helper under the sink to slowly feed the water supply tube and drain hose through the hole in the cabinet wall as you pull the appliance out.

    Tip

    You may want to protect the flooring with a canvas drop cloth as you slide the dishwasher out.

When to Call a Professional

In some cases, the dishwasher is not plugged into an outlet but is hardwired into the circuit. Unless you have experience with electrical work and are confident in your skills, this may be best left to a licensed electrician.

FAQ
  • How do I dispose of my old dishwasher?

    When you purchase a new dishwasher and have it delivered, typically you also have the option to dispose of the old dishwasher for a small fee. Another way to dispose of an old dishwasher is to look into your county or city appliance and scrap metal recycling program. Often, you can dispose of large appliances for no cost through these programs. Appliances in good condition that are no more than 5 or 10 years old can be donated to Habitat for Humanity, Second Use, Goodwill, or Salvation Army.

  • How much time does it take to remove and install a dishwasher?

    It takes about one to two hours to remove and install a dishwasher. Removing a dishwasher takes about one hour. If the flooring does not permit removal, the job can take significantly longer.

  • What do you do with the space after removing a dishwasher?

    If you’re not looking to install a new dishwasher after you remove an old one, there are several ways to make use of that space. You can add cabinetry that matches the rest of the kitchen or create custom shelving. It also can be a good spot for a trash can or rolling storage containers.