Dishwasher detergent drawer won't stay shut

[Davros]

That's it basically. It's a Bosch. Any ideas?

Is it inside the door? Mine won't stay shut either. I just put the tablet into the machine instead. All the drawer does is hold the detergent until you turn it on, then throws it into the machine. I'm saving it the bother.

Mine is a Bosch and you have to put pressure on the back of the drawer to get it to shut, like there's a little latch in there. (Opposite side to the opening iyswim.)

Put the tablet in the machine, mine has been bust for 7 years.

Sounds like the spring has gone. I replaced ours several years ago. Got a replacement from espares (other retailers available). I found an image online of how the detergent drawer is assembled and did it. Was a lot easier than it sounds, honest.

Thanks for replies. I have found the catch but it doesn't work so could be the spring. I always assumed that it was all a bit more clever than just chucking in the tablet and that it knew when in the cycle to do it. If not then I won't bother and will just chuck it in but might consider replacing the spring. Thanks for the name of a place where I can get one. I googled Bosch spares but didn't find anything from Bosch themselves. Far cry from the great service I got recently from Liebherr and thermomix.

You can just chuck the tablet in, but be careful; most dishwashers do a short pre wash before releasing the tablet, so the tablet will go to waste if you put it in too early.

With mine, the dispenser wouldn't open, but I'd listen out for the "click" and check it in then. It was about 10 minutes in.

Mine clicks after a minute so I know it's OK. I don't use the prewash mode.

If you put the tablet in the cutlery basket, so it is not immersed in water, it will not dissolve much in the cold prewash, but will in the hot wash.

Very occasionally the plastic latch gets worn and you can smooth it off with one of those fingernail-smoothing sticks. Or you can wait until it needs a repair and have it done at the same time. The mechanism is inside the door panel. Usually it goes wrong on quite old machines that are not worth spending much on.

I will have a go with the (Dick) Emery board if I can find the right place. No longer sure what programme it's in as it started speaking German a week or so ago so I pressed every button until it started churning

My mums has been bust for years. She uses one of those net bag things that hold clothes washing tabs (not sure they are that common any more?) and it hangs down from the top tray. Seems to work for her

Thank you for saying you have to push on the opposite end of the detergent dispenser door, I thought mine was going bad but it was me closing it the wrong way

Our dispenser stuck today and felt squidgy so I realised there was something under it. Prised lid off with a screwdriver and found the rubber seal from the detergent holder had ripped off and got stuck under. Removed it and clicked lid back on. Works perfectly.