When to Replace Your Dishwasher Filter

Dishwasher filters should be cleaned monthly and replaced every 1 to 2 years, though many homeowners don't even know they exist. Modern dishwashers (made after roughly 2010) switched from self-cleaning hard food disposers to manual-clean filters because they're quieter. The trade-off: you have to clean the filter yourself, and most people don't until their dishes come out dirty or smelly. The filter sits at the bottom of the dishwasher tub, usually under the lower spray arm. It's a cylindrical mesh screen (fine filter) inside a coarser flat filter (coarse filter). Together, they trap food particles so they don't recirculate and redeposit on your dishes. The fine mesh filter is the component that wears out. It can develop tears or holes from bone fragments, broken glass, or abrasive food debris. Once the mesh has even a small hole, food particles pass through and end up back on your dishes. The coarse filter rarely needs replacement... it's a thicker plastic mesh that handles larger debris. Dishwashers made before 2010 often have self-cleaning systems with a built-in grinder (like a mini garbage disposal). These don't have a removable filter... they're louder but require no filter maintenance. If your dishwasher has a removable cylindrical filter at the bottom, you have a manual-clean system. If it doesn't, you have a self-cleaning system and this doesn't apply to you.

Removing, cleaning, and reinstalling the filter takes 3 to 5 minutes. Twist the cylindrical fine filter counterclockwise (usually a quarter turn), lift it out, then lift out the flat coarse filter underneath. Clean under running water, scrub with a soft brush, and reverse the process to reinstall. No tools needed.

Replacing a filter with a new one takes the same 3 to 5 minutes. The new filter drops in exactly where the old one came out. Make sure it seats properly and locks with a clockwise twist... a loose filter lets food bypass it.

Finding the filter location: open the dishwasher door, pull out the lower rack, and look at the bottom of the tub. The filter is usually near the center or back, often underneath or adjacent to the lower spray arm. On some models, you need to remove the lower spray arm first (it usually just pulls off or unscrews).

If you've never cleaned your filter and the dishwasher is more than 6 months old, expect a significant buildup. The first cleaning is the worst one. After that, monthly cleanings take almost no time because buildup is minimal.