I took out the trays, and then DH and I attempted to remove the plinth that was holding the machine in. Easier said than done.
Some time later, the plinth had been removed and the dishwasher was out and being laid on its side.
One of the legs snapped. My fault I think.
We located the part, tested it, tested somewhere else (to make sure it wasn't somewhere else that was causing the problem), and then took out the part. DH cleaned it up as instructed, and refitted it.
Righted the machine, turned everything back on, started it.. same fault. So, the little part needing replacing.
It was going to cost almost £100 for the part. There was no guarantee that this would solve the problem. Our dishwasher is 12 years old.
We ended up buying a new dishwasher. We used AO, and paid for next-day delivery. I didn't really want to spend the money, but I know what I'm like. If I'd waited until free delivery on Tuesday, by Monday evening I would be cursing that I hadn't spent the money.
As it was, I ended up with slightly dishpan hands. Hand washing is SO wasteful! I couldn't bear to have the tap running to get to the hot water, I had to catch it in a bucket and give it to the plants. Or wash the floor with it.
I don't think kids today realise that you have to use really really hot water to properly wash up. I was wishing I had some Marigolds. And all that water for rinshing! And the draining board got full so quickly.... I even employed one of the dishwasher drawers to try and accommodate all the clean washing up.
The new machine didn't arrive until 5pm the next day, by which time I'd done more washing up by hand than I've probably done in the last two years.
When I bought my first dishwasher (thirty something years ago), my friends and family thought I was crazy to buy such an unnecessary luxury. Now, I imaging that a couple of days without one would have them tearing their hair out - or eating takeaway on paper plates.
