You can clean a dishwasher filter and spray arms yourself in 15 to 30 minutes. Difficulty is easy.

At a glance

5 steps, 15 to 30 minutes, easy difficulty.
Tools you need are old toothbrush, toothpick or wooden skewer, sink with hot water.
Parts to buy are none, monthly maintenance.
Unplug the machine before you start.

DifficultyEasy

Time15 to 30 minutes

What you saveFree, and it prevents the two most common dishwasher service calls

⚠️ BEFORE YOU START

None. This is the single highest value 20 minutes you can spend on any kitchen appliance.

Tools

Old toothbrush
Toothpick or wooden skewer
Sink with hot water

Parts

None, monthly maintenance

Step by step

1 Pull the bottom rack and find the filter

The cylindrical mesh filter sits in the tub floor, usually with a quarter turn arrow marking. Twist counterclockwise and lift out, many have a flat coarse filter beneath that lifts out too.
2 Rinse and scrub

Hot water and a toothbrush on the mesh until water runs through freely. The grime you’re removing is what’s been respraying onto your glasses.
3 Check the sump while it’s open

Feel the exposed sump area for glass shards, fruit stickers, and pit fragments, remove anything that isn’t machine.
4 Pop off the spray arms

The lower arm usually lifts or unscrews. The upper arm unclips from the rack. Poke every jet clear with a toothpick and rinse the arms through.
5 Reassemble and run a cleaner cycle

Filter locked back in (it must click, a loose filter lets debris reach the pump), arms clicked on, then run the hottest cycle empty with dishwasher cleaner or citric acid. Repeat monthly, non negotiable in Arizona hard water.

🔧 WHEN TO CALL A PRO

If cleaning doesn’t restore wash quality, water temperature or the circulation pump is next in line, a quick professional diagnosis beats replacing parts on a hunch. If you'd rather skip it entirely, find a dishwasher repair pro near you