TaskRinse filter
How oftenMonthly
MethodWarm water
Maintenance & prevention
How to Clean Your Dishwasher Filter the Right Way
A clean filter supports good drainage and cleaning. Here is a safe routine.
Maintenance & prevention
How to Clean Your Dishwasher overview
To clean a Maytag dishwasher filter, take out the lower rack, turn the upper filter assembly a quarter turn counterclockwise and lift it out, lift out the lower filter if your model has one, rinse, and brush gently with a soft brush. Put everything back locked in place before the next cycle. How often depends on the model and your use, so check your guide and clean sooner if dishes feel gritty or the tub smells.
This guide separates routine care from work that requires testing or disassembly. Do not bypass a lock, safety switch, or error message to keep an appliance running. Taking a few notes now can make the eventual diagnosis faster and more accurate.
Start with the simple conditions
Wait until the dishwasher is off and cool, then use the manual to locate, twist, and lift the filter only as instructed. Make the check with the appliance in its normal position and without forcing panels, fittings, or controls. If the result changes after a simple adjustment, run one normal cycle or operation before drawing a conclusion. Use a soft brush, and avoid wire brushes and scouring pads.
TaskBrush debris
How oftenAs needed
MethodSoft brush
TaskCheck housing
How oftenEach cleaning
MethodWipe gently
Food debris in the mesh or filter housing can reduce cleaning and drainage, particularly in homes that do not pre-rinse dishes. Look for a pattern: whether the issue happens every time, only with a particular load or setting, or after the appliance has been running for a while. That distinction is more valuable than repeatedly restarting the appliance.
Safe checks that protect the appliance
Consult the use-and-care manual for model-specific controls, filter access, and maintenance intervals. Clean only parts described as user-serviceable, use the recommended cleaning products, and refit every removable part exactly as it was designed to sit.
- Record any displayed message or error code before clearing it.
- Check visible hoses, vents, seals, and plugs without moving electrical connections.
- Use one controlled test rather than several back-to-back attempts.
Safe to try
- Rinse with warm water
- Use a soft brush
- Refit filter securely
Leave to a technician
- Use sharp tools
- Run without the filter
- Reach into the pump area
Before trying another cycle, clear obstructions, reduce an unusually heavy load, and make sure airflow, water supply, or door clearance is not being restricted. Avoid repeated resets: they can hide an intermittent fault and may leave water, heat, or pressure where it should not be.
Do all Maytag dishwasher filters need cleaning by hand?
Maytag describes filters that are cleaned by hand and filters that clean themselves with centrifugal force and water pressure. Some designs use a foreign object cup that needs no regular cleaning, only emptying when it is full, so the first step is learning which design your model has.
In the triple filter system, the upper filter assembly keeps oversized items and fine particles away from the pump, and the lower filter keeps food from recirculating onto the dishes. That is why a neglected filter often shows up as gritty dishes before it shows up as standing water. Never run the dishwasher without the filters properly installed, because that can damage it.
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Frequently asked questions
Wait until the dishwasher is off and cool, then use the manual to locate, twist, and lift the filter only as instructed.
Only if there is no burning smell, smoke, sparking, gas odor, water near electricity, or other safety warning. Otherwise stop and arrange service.
Book a diagnosis when the safe checks above do not resolve cleaning a dishwasher filter, or when the next step would require opening the appliance or testing internal parts.
Tell us what’s wrong — we’ll take it from there
Share a few details and we’ll confirm an appointment. Prefer to talk? Call us and we’ll help right away.
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Phone
(310) 882-7671
Hours
Mon–Sat: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Service area
Maytag repair visits across Los Angeles County and Orange County, booked from the ZIP you share.
Response time
Appointment timing depends on ZIP, route capacity, appliance type, access and parts.