How To Take Out A Dishwasher & Still Use The Sink

Most dishwashers connect to an inlet valve on your garbage disposal that transfers the water out of the dishwasher and out of the house through the plumbing in your kitchen. You can remove a dishwasher and still use the sink by properly capping the drain line. Otherwise, you'll end up with water under your sink, which can damage items in the cabinet, the flooring or sub-flooring.

When removing your dishwasher, you must remove the garbage disposal drain line from the inlet valve on your disposal and place a garbage disposal dishwasher drain cap on the end of the inlet. To ensure that water does not spill from the open valve after the drain line is removed, you must place a garbage disposal dishwasher drain cap on the end of the inlet.

As an important safety precaution, before even starting your dishwasher removal project, be sure to turn off the power supply to your appliance. Go to the fuse box and find the breaker that supplies power to the dishwasher. Turn the breaker switch to the "off" position. Consult your user manual to learn any specific instructions for your dishwasher model and to familiarize yourself with the location of all appliance parts.

1. Remove the Bottom Panel

Remove the two screws on the bottom panel of the dishwasher, and then remove the bottom panel.

2. Disconnect the Water Supply

Turn off the dishwasher water supply valve, which is located under your sink, and then disconnect the water supply line from the dishwasher's water inlet valve, using an adjustable wrench. The water inlet valve is located on the left side of the bottom compartment of the dishwasher.

3. Remove the Junction Box

Remove the screws securing the junction box cover and then remove the junction box cover, which is located on the right side of the bottom compartment of the dishwasher.

4. Remove the Ground Wire

Untwist the two wire nuts to separate the wires. Loosen the grounding screw and then remove the bare or green ground wire from the grounding post.

5. Remove the Conduit Cable

Loosen and remove the strain relief nut that secures the conduit cable through the rear of the junction box. If necessary, use a screwdriver to break the seal of the nut. Pull the conduit cable out of the junction box.

6. Remove the Drain Hose

Remove the dishwasher drain hose from the disposal or drainpipe. To remove it, loosen the screw on the metal clamp and then pull the drain hose off the disposal or drainpipe. Feed the drain hose through the cabinet and behind the dishwasher.

7. Cap the Drain Line

Place a cap for dishwasher drain line over the end of the disposal inlet or pipe to which the drain hose was connected. Tighten the screw on the metal clamp surrounding the dishwasher pipe end cap to secure the cap to the disposal or pipe.

8. Remove the Mounting Screws

Remove the two mounting screws from the top of the front of the dishwasher that secure the dishwasher to the underside of the countertop.

9. Remove the Dishwasher

Slide the dishwasher out from underneath the cabinet. HGTV offers an often-overlooked tip — be sure not to scratch the floor as you slide out the dishwasher. You can protect your floor by placing a blanket, doubled in thickness, or thick towels in front of the cabinet as you remove the dishwasher.