GoKawiilIf the glasses, plates and bowls you pull from the dishwasher rack post-cycle look barely any better than when you stuck them in, it could be the filter causing the problem.
Your dishwasher's filter quietly does some heavy lifting, trapping loose food particles to keep them out of that circulating wash water. If it's clean and installed properly, it means less need to pre-rinse dishes and a better chance that they come out sparkling.
Even with a filter, it's still a good idea to scrape larger food scraps into the trash, but its job is straightforward and makes dishwashers more efficient than they were in the pre-filter era.
When compiling and analyzing our list of the best dishwashers, every expert I spoke with said that one of the most common causes for dishwasher repair calls and warranty claims is failing to clean the filter.
So, how often should you clean your dishwasher filter? It's more important than most people realize. Let's explore why your filter matters, how often you should clean it and the best way to clean it.
Your dishwasher filter matters. Here's why
A dirty filter could be causing your dishwasher to underperform. Natalia Rusanova/Getty Images
An effective dishwasher filter has three benefits: It keeps the water cleaner, protects the water pump and prevents food debris from clogging spray nozzles and drainage lines. As a result, the dishwasher requires less effort to run, and you'll eliminate wildcards that can damage your expensive kitchen appliance.
In contrast, my ancient Maytag PDC3600AWX portable dishwasher lacks any sort of filter. This means I need to be very diligent about scraping and pre-cleaning when loading to keep it running smoothly.
How to clean your dishwasher filter
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