GoKawiilWhen compiling and analyzing our list of the best dishwashers, every appliance professional I spoke with pointed to the same culprit behind most repair calls and warranty claims.
While burnt motors, failing hardware and general loss of cleaning power are inevitable for any machine after enough reps, one overlooked bit of maintenance is responsible for the bulk of dishwasher issues: a dirty filter.
So how often should you actually clean that dishwasher filter? More often than most people think. Here's why your filter matters, how frequently to clean it and the best way to do it.
Your dishwasher filter matters
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
The filter is your dishwasher's secret weapon. Brizmaker/Getty Images
Even if you regularly run a self-clean cycle on your dishwasher with a product like Affresh, solid food debris won't disappear unless you empty the filter. Here's a quick guide to cleaning your dishwasher filter.
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