Whirlpool dishwashers are fitted with a filter that traps any food particles left on your dishes in order to keep them from going down the drain. It’s important that this filter is kept clean so that your machine will function effectively.
It’s fairly easy to remove and clean your Whirlpool dishwasher filter and this should be done on a regular basis to ensure that your dishwasher can do the job that it was designed for. Here’s everything you need to know about cleaning your Whirlpool dishwasher filter.
Where Do You Find The Filter In A Whirlpool Dishwasher?
You’ll find the filter in the base of the dishwasher directly beneath the bottom rack. Find the filter by sliding out the lower rack first.
Then, look in either of the two back corners or near the bottom of the spray arm.
Once you’ve located the filter, it’s time to take it out and give it a good clean.
How To Clean The Filter In Your Whirlpool Dishwasher
Once you’ve found the filter in your dishwasher, you need to know how to clean it effectively. This is actually quite easy and all you need is some warm water and a soft brush. Even an old toothbrush will work for this.
You’ll find that most Whirlpool dishwasher filters have two parts. There is both an upper filter section and a lower filter section. To remover these two filter sections, just turn the upper filter slightly in a clockwise direction and pull it out.
Next, you want to lift the lower filter section and pull it out as well. Be gentle when you do this so that you don’t cause any damage to the filter.
Run The Dishwasher Filter Under Warm Running Water
The first step in cleaning your filter is to run it under warm water. This will remove many of the food particles that are stuck in and around the filter.
Use A Soft Brush To Remove All Food Particles On Your Filter
As running water is usually not enough to remove all the debris from your filter, you’ll have to use a brush with soft bristles to gently dislodge and brush away any residue that remains on and in the filter.
You can dip your brush into some dish soap to help with this. If you don’t have a soft brush, an old toothbrush or even a soft sponge will do.
Remember not use anything harsh like a brush with wire bristles or a scouring pad as these might cause damage to the filter.
Place The Clean Filter Back In Your Dishwasher
To complete the process, you need to put the clean filter back into the dishwasher in the same order that you took it out.
Replace the lower filter section first. Make sure you fit it correctly so that it sits snugly under the tabs. This means that the upper filter can be lined up correctly.
Put the upper filter section into the top of the lower filter section. Now, turn the upper filter section clockwise until you can feel it click into place. Make sure that you keep turning the upper filter until it locks firmly into place.
It’s important to ensure that your filter is correctly locked in before turning on the dishwasher. This is because a filter that is loose could cause damage to your dishwasher.
If you can see any damage on the dishwasher filter, you should replace it with a new one in order to keep your dishwasher working effectively.
How Often Should A Whirlpool Dishwasher Filter Be Cleaned?
Now that you know how to easily clean the dishwasher filter, you’ll want to add this to your regular maintenance schedule. So, how often is it necessary to clean the filter in your Whirlpool dishwasher?
Ideally, you want to regularly clean your dishwasher filter every 3 or 6 months, depending on the sort of filter in your machine, how much food is left on your dishes before you put them in the machine and how often you run your dishwasher.
Here’s a general guide on how often you should clean your dishwasher filter depending on how you use it.
As you can see, rinsing your dishes before loading them into your dishwasher means that you’ll have to clean your filter less often when compared to just putting your dishes straight into the dishwasher without rinsing them first.
Of course, this makes perfect sense because the more food particles that remain on your dishes, the more debris will end up in the filter of your Whirlpool dishwasher. So, if you don’t want to have to clean your dishwasher filter on a weekly or monthly basis, make sure that you rinse all your dishes before putting them into the dishwasher.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you deep clean a Whirlpool dishwasher?
Put around 2 cups of white vinegar into a glass jug. Put this into the dishwasher on the top rack. Run your dishwasher on a normal cycle but have the drying function turned off. This should give your dishwasher a nice deep clean.
How do you find the filter in your Whirlpool dishwasher?
The filter is located in the base of the dishwasher underneath the bottom rack.
How do I know if my dishwasher filter is dirty?
The most obvious sign of a dirty dishwasher filter is that your dishes will not come out sparkling clean and they may still have grime on them.
Final Thoughts
It’s important that you clean the filter in your Whirlpool dishwasher on a regular basis to ensure that your machine works efficiently and effectively. Cleaning the filter is easy and shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes now that you know exactly what to do.