Each dishwasher features a filter to catch food particles. Some require your complete attention, while others are self-cleaning but still require care. To find out what kind of filter you have, visit the manufacturer’s website and consult the model’s handbook. Then, find and clean a dishwasher filter by following these easy steps.
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Best Ways to Clean a Dishwasher Filter to Smell Fresh
Find the Filter
Typically, filters are found on the dishwasher’s inside floor. Find the filter by removing the bottom rack. In most cases, the cylindrical filters twist-lock into position. A second flat filter beneath the cylinder is another feature of some variants.
Take out the filter
To unlock it, twist the cylindrical filter and follow the instructions or consult the online handbook. After unlocking it, carefully lift it off the dishwasher floor and take out any secondary filters.
Scrub the filter and soak it
In the sink or bowl, combine a solution of hot water with a high-quality dishwashing product, such as Dawn Platinum, which contains a degreaser. To release the trapped food, add the filter or filters to the soapy water and let them soak for approximately five minutes. To remove any last bits of debris, use a sponge, an old toothbrush, or a nylon brush with soft bristles.
Clean the Filter Housing
To get rid of any food residue or oil buildup, wipe out the filter housing in the dishwasher’s bottom using a sponge or microfiber cloth dipped in hot, soapy water while the filter is soaking. Scrub the housing after sprinkling baking soda on your sponge to remove any material that has become lodged. To remove the muck, the baking soda works as a mild abrasive.
Rinse and Reinstall the Filter
After giving the filter a thorough rinse in hot water, replace it. If there is a cylindrical filter, make sure it is locked firmly in place before replacing the flat filter. Put the bottom rack back in place.
Start a cleaning cycle in the dishwasher
Ideally, now is the ideal moment to give the dishwasher a complete cleaning.
How Frequently a Dishwasher Filter Should Be Cleaned
Standing water in the machine’s bottom, soap residue or food particles strewn across the clean dishes, and, of course, the smell of rotting food are all telltale symptoms that your dishwasher filter is unclean.
Every two or three months, thoroughly clean your dishwasher filter if it has one. At least once a month, manual clean filters should be cleaned. If you don’t bother to scrape food off the plates before loading the dishwasher, you should clean both types more frequently.
In addition to causing a stink, not cleaning the filter might harm your dishwasher. Blockages brought on by the accumulation of slow drainage may result in issues with the dishwasher’s water pump.
How to Keep a Dishwasher Filter in Good Condition
- Before putting plates and utensils in the dishwasher, always scrape away any food residue.
- Items with paper labels or stickers shouldn’t be put in the dishwasher. They will block the filter if they comes off.
- Do a thorough cleaning cycle of the entire dishwasher each time you clean the filter.
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