Dishwasher Filter

How to complete Dishwasher Filter

Most people never know their dishwasher has a removable filter, which is exactly why dishes come out gritty and the machine smells. Clearing it is a five-minute job that fixes cloudy glasses and that swampy odor at the source.

1. Pull out the bottom rack and look at the floor of the tub for a cylindrical or flat filter, usually center or back
2. Twist the cylinder a quarter turn counter-clockwise and lift it out; the lower mesh plate may lift out with it
3. Scrape off trapped food, then rinse under hot running water and scrub the mesh with an old toothbrush and a drop of dish soap
4. Wipe out the sump hole the filter sat in, checking for stuck glass or bone fragments
5. Seat the filter back and twist until it locks; a loose filter will rattle or let food past

Tips

• Check your model's manual or a quick search if you can't find the twist direction; forcing it can crack the housing
• Once you've seen the gunk, set a monthly reminder; it never gets that bad again if cleaned regularly

What counts as done

The filter is reinstalled and locked, and the rinsed mesh shows no trapped food.