Dishwasher Leaving Dishes Dirty? The Filter Is Usually the Culprit

Modern dishwashers have a manual-clean filter at the bottom that most owners never touch — and after a year or two it's a paste of food sludge that recirculates onto your dishes. Twist it out, scrub it under the tap, and clean the spray-arm holes with a toothpick. Hard water in the Permian Basin also clogs the tiny spray jets with scale; a monthly dishwasher-cleaner cycle keeps it at bay. Still gritty dishes after a deep clean usually point to a failing wash pump or inlet valve.

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