Doing dishes after a large family dinner is a nightmare. The pile of plates and pots seems never-ending. Smart people ask for help from others, but the wisest among all invest in a dishwasher. Granted, it is expensive and requires professional installation, but a dishwasher is genuinely a lifesaver.
Keeping its functionality and size in mind, its maintenance also requires more effort than you think. If you end up with a broken seal, you might wonder whether dishwasher door seals are universal.
No, dishwasher door seals are not universal; each brand produces a unique type differing in size and material.
Dishwasher door seals are supposed to keep the whole thing air-tight. A damaged door seal will quickly become a nuisance if you don’t change it. But sadly, you cannot interchange door seals.
Click here to learn whether dishwasher gel packs are bad or not!
Signs that your dishwasher door seal needs changing
Before moving on to the actual seal-changing process, you should know when to change the seal. Look out for any of the signs below, and that is your cue for contacting the manufacturers:
- You see steam coming out of the dishwasher while running a cycle.
- You notice a pool of water at the bottom of the dishwasher.
- The gasket has gotten cracks in some places or has become loosened.
Moreover, according to a study conducted in 2019, dishwasher door seals are home to various bacterial colonies. These colonies have little to do with the natural bacteria in the water; instead, the grime from dirty dishes is the culprit here. Keeping the dishwasher clean and quickly changing a damaged seal might be the only option for a healthy cleaning routine.
Also read: Are dishwasher handles interchangeable?
How to change a dishwasher door seal
As already mentioned, a dishwasher door seal would have to be from the same brand as that of your dishwasher. Buying an odd seal would compromise the machine’s performance and might not even fit properly.
To get the perfect door seal, note your dishwasher’s model number. You will find it inside the door or right in front, under the brand’s logo. Buy the seal from authentic outlets or order online from the brand’s official website.
Can you run a dishwasher without hot water? Learn now!
Now that you have gotten the door seal, it is time to replace it. You can ask a professional for help, but fixing a dishwasher door seal is easy, and you can do it yourself.
- Take out the broken seal gently from its place. If you see any debris underneath, clean it with a sponge and liquid soap. Wipe the whole thing dry before moving on to the next step.
- Since you have gotten a door seal according to your dishwasher’s model, it should fit perfectly. Hold the seal beside the gasket channel and gently press it in place. Make sure that you have placed it all the way around.
- Use scissors to cut it carefully if some extra rubber is left on any side.
- Once done, close the door and check if it sits properly. There should be no gaps between the door and the main unit.
Moreover, to make your dishwasher last longer, here’s how to care for it!
Final thoughts
We can’t stress the importance of maintaining the kitchen appliances enough. The more you care for them, the longer they will serve you. In your laziness, you might think that a door seal from any brand would work, but it will bother you soon. Don’t be lazy; invest in door seals that get the green signal directly from the manufacturers.