How And When To Clean Your Dishwasher Filter So Your Plates and Glasses Sparkle
May 18, 2022
source: Conner's Appliance | Dreamtime
If your dishes don’t seem to be coming out of the dishwasher as clean as they once did, it’s probably time to check your dishwasher filter. I won’t lie – before learning this information, I didn’t even know where my dishwasher filter was located, let alone how to clean it. But cleaning your dishwasher filter is an important part of maintenance that should be performed regularly in order to keep your dishwasher in good working order.
The purpose of the your dishwasher filter is to collect all of those little bits of food that come off of dishes during the wash cycle. The filter is generally located on the bottom of the dishwasher, either in the center or in one of the back corners. It’s usually a cone-like shape with a round top and mesh sides.
Once you’ve located the filter, simply push the bottom rack out of the way, twist the top of the filter, and pull it out. If your filter looks relatively clean, you probably only need to run it under water for a few seconds to rinse it out. If the filter is quite dirty and full of caked-on food, you should let it soak in warm, soapy water for about 20 minutes. Then, use a small, soft-bristle brush to gently scrub away the residue before rinsing thoroughly.
Once clean, you can put the filter back where you found it, twisting to ensure it locks into place. You should aim to check and clean your filter monthly to ensure your dishwasher can function as it’s meant to and that your dishes come out sparkling clean.