How to Clean Your Dishwasher Filters and Maintain Your Dishwasher

Did you know your dishwasher has a filter?

Besides washing your dishes and making sure you have rinse aid, I didn't realize there was more to do. 

In all fairness, I grew up on a boat so it wasn't until I was a full-fledged adult that I actually lived with a dishwasher. In fact, I remember when I was in middle school, we vacationed in a condo on Kauai and one of the biggest highlights besides the ocean view and loft was the dishwasher and in-suite washer/dryer. So appliance maintenance isn't my strong suit. 

The family and I were watching something on television the other day and the program explained that there actually was a filter AND in fact to keep your dishwasher running well you had to clean it out regularly. I would have thought it was time to throw it away since I would have thought it wasn't performing its duties anymore. 

During the program, I told my youngest who was watching with us that they should do as a way to earn money. Of course, nothing came up in the week and a half following the program that required money, so it wasn't done. 

Fast forward to last weekend I was looking at the newly "cleaned" dishes and saw food particles on them. Everyone else was still asleep, umm not because I woke up before dawn, but because they are teenagers and it usually isn't until noon that movement starts to happen at my house. Anyway, I was feeling empowered so I pulled up youtube and quickly found a tutorial for my model and within 10 minutes my dishwasher was running back to the way it should. WOW! As simple as that!

Maybe you aren't like me and knew this all along, but just in case you don't know I thought I would share my new knowledge with you. 

If the bottom of your dishwasher looks like this one

Watch a video showing how to clean filters

Full disclosure I did not stick my hand down there, couldn't quite bring myself to do it. Maybe I can actually get my kid to do it next time. 

If your dishwasher looks a little different, more like this one it is a bit more complicated, but this video does a good job of taking you through it.

Click here to watch the second video 

By the way, the second video is done by the Handyguys Podcast, if you need someone to do your Honey Do List, they are very informative. 

Cleaning Your Dishwasher

In addition to cleaning your filters, you should do a deep cleaning for the entire unit. Add white vinegar and then run a short cycle. If you don't have white vinegar, you can use, some other things, which scare me a bit since they are beverages. Tang (does this still exist?), lemon juice, lemonade mix, or lemon flavored Kool-Aid (another thing besides dishwashers I was deprived of growing up). If using a powdered substance place it in the detergent dispenser, if using a liquid, place in a bowl on the top rack.

Tips for Maintaining Your Dishwasher

1. Use the dishwasher regularly. 

2. Run the garbage disposal before you run the dishwasher. 

3. Periodically check to make sure that the water dispensing holes are free from debris. 

4. Use a rinse aid if your detergent 

 I hope this is of service to you in maintaining your home. Of course, if you don't want to do this yourself, let us know we can make my kid do it. Better yet we could put you in contact with one of the great handymen that we work with.