A guide to dishwasher filter maintenance

___

When New York Times Wirecutter reporter Andrea Barnes hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for twenty guests in 2019, the biggest surprise wasn’t how the turkey turned out. It was in the form of an error code on her Bosch 300 Series dishwasher.

“It smelled rotten inside,” Says Barnes. “The appliance repairman explained to me that the error code meant water had been leaking to the bottom of my dishwasher.”

As it turned out, the cause of this leakage was more embarrassing than it was complicated. Why? “He pulled out a disgusting filter covered in a slime of congealed food. He then showed me how to clean the filter, which also happened to be the source of the rotten smell,” she recalls. “At last, I had a working dishwasher, along with what could have been a preventable bill. Since learning to clean the dishwasher filter, I am happy to say that I have not needed to have my dishwasher serviced again.”

So what simple maintenance can you perform in order to prevent a major repair bill? As it turns out, it only takes less than five minutes every few months.

Your dishwasher's filter is a remarkable piece of engineering that works tirelessly behind the scenes. Acting as a guardian against major damage, it enables you to skip pre-rinsing while filtering water and trapping food particles during each wash cycle. Most importantly, it prevents serious clogs that could lead to leaks or pump failure.

Regular maintenance is crucial - neglecting your filter can result in unpleasant odors and poorly cleaned dishes. In worst-case scenarios, it might even cause drainage issues or pump damage. The good news? Maintaining your filter is straightforward. Just grab a bottle brush for reaching tight spaces and have hot water ready.

Find the filter. While consulting your manual is ideal, you'll typically find the filter beneath the propeller. Start with an empty dishwasher, remove the bottom rack, and look for the propeller at the base. In most models, you can simply remove the propeller to access the filter underneath.

Clean thoroughly. Run hot water over the filter to remove debris. Use your bottle brush to reach any stubborn spots or tight crevices that need extra attention.

Then, reassemble. Carefully place the filter back in position and return the bottom rack to its place.

For those who skip prerinsing dishes (which is encouraged), expect to clean the filter more frequently. Bosch recommends 4-12 cleanings annually without prerinsing, versus 3-6 times with prerinsing. Miele suggests checking every 50 cycles, while Whirlpool offers specific guidelines based on your dish preparation habits. When in doubt, consult your machine's manual for maintenance schedules.

This simple task becomes especially important before major events like Thanksgiving when your dishwasher will handle heavy loads. If you notice decreased cleaning performance or unusual smells, checking the filter should be your first move.

NewYorkTimes, TBWS


All information furnished has been forwarded to you and is provided by thetbwsgroup only for informational purposes. Forecasting shall be considered as events which may be expected but not guaranteed. Neither the forwarding party and/or company nor thetbwsgroup assume any responsibility to any person who relies on information or forecasting contained in this report and disclaims all liability in respect to decisions or actions, or lack thereof based on any or all of the contents of this report.

Licensed by the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance; Licensed Mortgage Banker - NY Department of Financial Services; Licensed Mortgage Banker - CT Department of Banking; Licensed Mortgage Banker - PA Department of Banking, Licensed Mortgage Lender – FL Office of Financial Regulation
     

 All rates, fees and programs are subject to change without notice.

Millenium Home Mortgage

Manager

NMLS: 51519

Millenium Home Mortgage LLC

1719 Route 10 East, Suite 206, Parsippany NJ

Company NMLS: 51519

Office: 973-402-9112

Email: connie@mhmlender.com

Web: https://mhmlender.com/

Avatar

Millenium Home Mortgage

___

Manager

NMLS: 51519


Last articles

___











Load more