VIDEO: How to Clean Your Dishwasher Filters

Hey, do you know you’re supposed to be cleaning your dishwasher filters regularly?

C’mon, you don’t have to lie to us. How could you know that? Five seconds ago, you just found out your dishwasher has … filters.

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No shade … personally, we hate having to do stuff around the house, but trust us, this appliance maintenance task is as easy as it is important — and if we can do it, you can do it.

Your dishwasher filters catch all the gunk and nasty food particles that come off your dishes during a wash cycle so that they don’t clog the drain or wind up right back on your bowls, plates and glasses.

If you don’t routinely clean these filters — as often as once a week for large families and at least quarterly for smaller households with less-frequent dishwasher use — debris will build up, causing unsanitary conditions and foul odors, not to mention reducing efficiency and shortening the lifespan of your appliance.

The specific location, configuration and removal process for your filters will vary by manufacturer and model — so check your manual — but they’ll generally be found at the base of the inside of your dishwasher, underneath the bottom rack.

Follow these steps to ensure your dishwasher keeps on washing dishes — and, remember, if we can do it, you can do it.

1. Remove the bottom rack.

2. Find your fine mesh filter.

3. Remove your fine mesh filter per manufacturer instructions.

4. Scrub out all that gag-reflex-triggering gunk using a clean sponge or brush and warm water with a little bit of dish soap.

5. Now remove your coarse mesh filter.

6. Scrub the coarse mesh filter clean, too.

7. Replace the coarse mesh filter.

8. Replace the fine mesh filter.

9. Replace the bottom rack.

And there you have it. Now your dishes will be clean enough to … eat off of.

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If you hate having to keep up with upkeep of your household appliances as much as we do, and you literally can’t even, find someone near you to do it for you at eLocal.com.

Watch the video below for eLocal’s full demonstration of how to clean your dishwasher filters: