The filter is the single most-neglected part of a dishwasher, and cleaning it resolves more complaints — poor cleaning, bad odours, slow draining, cloudy glasses — than any other five-minute job you can do. Most manufacturers recommend cleaning it every one to three months, yet most owners never do it at all until something goes wrong.
Why the filter matters
Unlike a household sink, a dishwasher does not send food waste down a drain during the wash — it filters it out and recirculates the water. Everything scraped or rinsed off your plates ends up trapped in that filter. Left too long, it clogs, restricts water flow, and starts recirculating dirty water over supposedly clean dishes — which explains why “poor cleaning” and “bad smell” complaints so often trace back to the same neglected part.
Finding your filter
On most modern dishwashers, it sits at the bottom of the tub, usually a cylindrical assembly you twist to release, sometimes with an outer coarse filter and an inner fine mesh filter as two separate pieces. Check your manual for the exact release mechanism, since it varies between manufacturers.
How to clean it
- Remove the filter
Twist it counterclockwise (or follow your model’s specific release mechanism) and lift it out. Take note of how the pieces fit together if it separates into multiple parts.
- Rinse under running water
Hold it under a tap and use a soft brush to work loose any trapped food particles, especially in the fine mesh section.
- Soak stubborn buildup
For a filter that has not been cleaned in a while, soak it in warm water with a little dish soap for ten to fifteen minutes before brushing it again.
- Check the sump beneath it
While the filter is out, look into the housing it sits in and clear any debris you can see or reach — this is often just as dirty as the filter itself.
- Refit it firmly
Twist it back into place until it locks — a loose or incorrectly seated filter can rattle during cycles or fail to filter properly.
Once the filter is back in, run an empty cycle with a dishwasher cleaner or a cup of white vinegar to clear any residual odour and buildup elsewhere in the machine.
How often to do it
Every one to three months for most households — more often if you rarely scrape plates before loading, or if you notice food debris, cloudiness or odour building up between cleanings.
