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How to Clean a Dishwasher Filter (and How Often to Do It)

Published 2026-10-19 · Last reviewed 2026-10-19 · Checked against manufacturer sources

Quick answer

The filter sits in the floor of the tub under the bottom spray arm. Switch off the power, twist the cylinder out, lift away the flat mesh under it, rinse both under the tap with a soft brush, and lock them back in. Whirlpool suggests doing it monthly, or every two weeks if you run the dishwasher daily.

Safety first: Turn off the breaker or unplug the dishwasher before removing the filter, and wear gloves since broken glass often collects in the sump.

Why your dishwasher has a filter you have to clean

Many current dishwashers catch food in a set of fine filters in the tub floor and leave it there for you to rinse out. That's normal, and it's by design. Plenty of people own one for years without knowing the filter is there.

When the filter clogs, the wash pump recirculates dirty water, so glasses come out gritty, the tub smells, and drainage slows. Some dishwashers will tell you: Bosch shows E22 for a blocked filter, and Frigidaire shows i40 or iF0 for a clogged filter or sump. On Samsung Waterwall models, 1E or IE means water isn't getting through the filter.

How often to clean it

Whirlpool's guidance is about once a month for most households, every two weeks if you have a big family or run the dishwasher every day. Clean it sooner if you notice grit on glasses, a sour smell, visible debris in the filter, or water left over the filter after a cycle.

If plates go in without being scraped, expect to clean it more often. A quick look every week or two only takes a minute.

What the filter looks like

Pull out the bottom rack and look at the center or back of the tub floor. On a lot of models, Whirlpool and Bosch among them, you'll see a round plastic cylinder with a handle or tabs on top. That's the coarse or upper filter. Under or around it sits a flat fine-mesh screen, the lower or fine filter.

Designs vary. Some GE models have an Ultra Fine filter, and Frigidaire's instructions mention a glass trap to empty along with the filter. Not every dishwasher has a filter you can remove, so check the drawing in your owner's manual.

Step by step

Switch off the dishwasher at the breaker or unplug it. Let it cool if it just ran.
Pull the bottom rack all the way out and set it aside. Put on gloves, because broken glass and sharp bits collect here.
If there's standing water, soak it up with a sponge or scoop it out with a cup so you can see what you're doing.
Turn the cylindrical filter counterclockwise, about a quarter turn on Whirlpool models, and lift it straight out.
Lift out the flat fine filter. On Whirlpool models you grip it by the round opening, lift slightly and slide it toward you.
Rinse both pieces under running warm water. Scrub stubborn grease or hard-water scale gently with a soft brush and a drop of dish soap. Don't use a wire brush or scouring pad, which can tear the mesh.
Wipe out the sump area under the filter with a damp cloth and pick out anything that collected there.
Set the fine filter back in place so it sits flat, then drop the cylinder in and turn it clockwise until it locks. If it spins freely, it isn't locked.
Slide the rack back in, restore power, and run a normal cycle.

Mistakes to avoid

Running the dishwasher without the filter in place. Whirlpool warns against it, because food and glass go straight into the pump.
Leaving the cylinder unlocked. Whirlpool says if it turns freely it isn't locked, and Bosch has you twist its filter until the arrows line up.
Bending the fine mesh while you scrub it. A bent screen may not sit flat, and then it needs replacing.
Scrubbing with a wire brush or scouring pad. Whirlpool warns they can damage the filters.

While you're in there

Spin the lower spray arm by hand and look at its holes. If any are plugged, clear them with a toothpick. Check the drain area at the back of the sump for anything large, like a bottle cap or a piece of glass, that could reach the pump.

If glasses still have white spots or film, run an empty cycle with a dishwasher cleaner or a white vinegar rinse, which Whirlpool suggests for that problem.

If cleaning the filter didn't help

A clean filter often fixes gritty dishes and slow draining. If water still sits over the filter after a cycle, work through the drain checks in our guide on a dishwasher not draining: the disposer, the air gap and the drain hose. If dishes still come out dirty, see our guide on a dishwasher not cleaning dishes for water temperature, loading and spray arm checks.

A filter with a torn mesh or a broken locking tab should be replaced. Order it by your dishwasher's full model number, found on a label along the edge of the door or the tub opening.

When to call a professional

Get the dishwasher looked at if the filter is clean but the dishwasher still won't drain or keeps showing a filter or drain code, or if the filter housing is cracked and won't lock. A pump that hums without moving water also needs a professional.

Parts involved

Error codes for this problem

Sources we checked