Clean your dishwasher filter
If dishes come out spotty or gritty, the filter at the bottom is clogged. Takes 5 minutes to clean.
What you'll learn
- Where the filter lives (center of the bottom spray arm, usually)
- How food debris recirculates when the filter is full
- Which brands have self-cleaning grinders (fewer filter cleanings needed)
- Why you should run an empty hot cycle monthly with a dishwasher cleaner
Step by step
- Pull out the lower dish rack.
- Twist the cylindrical filter counter-clockwise and lift it out.
- Remove the flat mesh filter underneath (if present).
- Rinse both under hot water; scrub with a soft brush and a little dish soap.
- Reassemble in reverse order. Run an empty hot cycle with dishwasher cleaner.
Safety note
If cleaning the filter doesn't fix spotting, the issue is usually a scaled-up spray arm or a weak circulation motor. Inland San Diego hard water causes this fast.
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