Hilda Gonzalez
Realty Executives Midwest
According to Better Homes & Gardens Magazine, your dishwasher is the dirtiest appliance in your home. Are you surprised?
It might be a surprise that one of the dirtiest spots in your home could be your dishwasher—particularly the filter. As your dishwasher cleans your plates and silverware, the filter catches all those little bits of food and grease so they don't end up back on your dishes. Once you know how to clean a dishwasher filter, you won't have to worry about whether your dishes are getting clean.
Old vs. New Dishwashers
Some older dishwashers have self-cleaning filters, which are similar to garbage disposals. However, most modern dishwashers, including the most common models from Whirlpool, GE, KitchenAid, Frigidaire, Samsung, Bosch, Kenmore, and LG, have manual dishwasher filters you must remove and clean yourself. If you're unsure of your dishwasher filter type, check your owner's manual or the manufacturer's website.
Cleaning your dishwasher filter is an easy maintenance task to help your appliance's performance. Plus, it only takes a few minutes to complete. Here's everything you need to know about how to clean a dishwasher filter.
Instructions:
Your dishwasher filter is at the bottom of your dishwasher. It's usually round and can often be found in one of the back corners of your dishwasher or near the base of the bottom spray arm.
Roll out the bottom rack of your dishwasher. If there's a screen at the bottom of your dishwasher, remove that as well.
Find and Remove the Dishwasher Filter –
First, you'll need to locate the dishwasher filter. The filter usually looks like a cylinder with fine mesh around the sides. Removing the dishwasher filter
is simple. Simply twist to unlock the filter (there might be arrows indicating which direction to turn), then gently pull it up and out. Sometimes there's an additional flat filter that also needs to be removed.
All you need is dishwashing soap and a brush - Wash the dishwasher filter by hand in your kitchen sink. It might just need a quick spray with your kitchen faucet if it's pretty clean. If it's caked with food residue, let it soak in warm, soapy water for about 10 minutes. Use a soft brush to gently scrub the inside and outside of the filter to remove all food particles and buildup. Avoid wire brushes or rough scrubbing that could damage delicate dishwasher filters. Once clean, rinse the filter thoroughly with water.
Tip: For stubborn buildup, opt for an additional cleaning with vinegar after the initial soapy soak. With a solution of equal parts warm water and white vinegar, soak the filter for at least 30 minutes.
Return to Dishwasher
Pop the dishwasher filter back into place and twist it to lock. If there's a screen that needs to be put back on, make sure it's tightened in place. Otherwise, you run the risk of it lifting up and getting hit by the spinning dishwasher spray arm during a cycle.
How Often Should You Clean The Filter?
This is a job you'll want to stay on top of. Otherwise, your dishwasher will start emitting an odor, and dishes can come out gritty or with leftover food residue. Depending on how often you run your dishwasher, once a month is a good frequency to clean a dishwasher filter. Mark your calendar as a reminder or commit to doing it on the first of every month. After a few months, you can tell if you need to adjust the regularity.
