How often you should clean your dishwasher filter really depends on how often you use the machine. If your dishwasher runs regularly — especially in a busy household — cleaning the filter about once a month is a smart habit. If you use it less often, you may only need to do it every couple of months. But even if you don’t stick to a schedule, your dishwasher will usually give you signs when it’s time.
A few common ones include:
- a musty smell
- cloudy glasses
- dishes that don’t feel fully clean
- bits of food left behind
- or slow draining at the bottom
That’s usually your cue that something is building up where it shouldn’t be. The nice thing about this fix is that it’s small, simple, and surprisingly effective. A lot of people spend time changing detergent brands or running extra cycles when the real issue is just one part they didn’t know was there.
And once you clean it once, it becomes one of those things you’ll probably never forget again.