--- title: "Filter and spray arm cleaning, step by step" description: "A ten-minute routine that keeps wash water clean and every nozzle spraying, with honest intervals for different households." url: "https://dishwasherrepair.center/guides/filter-and-spray-arm-cleaning/" date_modified: "2026-09-25" --- Maintenance and prevention # Filter and spray arm cleaning, step by step Routine dishwasher filter and spray arm cleaning takes about ten minutes. Manuals typically suggest a monthly rinse of the filter, and a heavily used machine needs it sooner. The spray arms come off by hand or with a quarter turn; poke their plugged holes open with a wooden pick, give each a test spin, and finish by wiping the seal around the door. By [DishwasherRepair.center technical team](https://dishwasherrepair.center/authors/technical-team/) Published September 25, 2026 ## At a glance. Most dishwashers sold in the US now rely on a filter the owner cleans by hand, and on spray arms whose small nozzles clog without anyone noticing. A few minutes on a schedule keeps both working and heads off a surprising share of service calls. Read the whole guide ### Filter About once a month Weekly if the household runs the machine daily or scrapes plates lightly. ### Spray arms Every two to three months Sooner if glasses on one rack come out gritty while the other rack is clean. ### Tools needed A soft brush, a toothpick, warm soapy water No screwdriver on most models; the parts twist or lift out. ### Never use Wire, pins or a wire brush They scratch the fine mesh and widen nozzle holes, and the damage cannot be undone. In this guide 1. Why dishwasher filter and spray arm cleaning matters more than it used to 2. The filter assembly 3. Spray arm cleaning 4. While the racks are out 5. Step by step 6. Questions ## Why dishwasher filter and spray arm cleaning matters more than it used to Older machines ground food scraps with a hard chopper and sent them down the drain. To meet tighter water and energy limits, most current designs use less water and a fine filter instead, which makes them quieter and more efficient but leaves the owner in charge of emptying what the filter catches. A clogged filter does not announce itself. The machine keeps running, the wash water gets dirtier, and the pump pushes grit back through the spray arms, where it plugs nozzles one at a time. By the time dishes look bad, both parts usually need attention. ### How often, really Monthly is the figure Whirlpool gives, and it suits a family that scrapes plates and runs a load a day. Households that load plates straight from the table, cook a lot of rice, pasta or seeds, or wash baby bottles with their labels will find weekly checks worth the time. A two-person home that runs three loads a week can often stretch to six weeks. Source: [Whirlpool — Water remains in the filter area](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Dishwasher/Cycle_Concerns/Not_Draining%2F%2FWater_Remains/Water_Remains_In_Filter_Area_-_Dishwasher) — Filters rinsed at least monthly; the design saves water and energy; [ENERGY STAR — Dishwashers key product criteria](https://www.energystar.gov/products/dishwashers/key_product_criteria) — Federal and ENERGY STAR caps on water and energy per cycle ## The filter assembly The filter sits in the floor of the tub, under the lower spray arm. Pull the lower rack out completely to reach it. On most machines it is a cylinder that twists a quarter turn counterclockwise and lifts out, with a flat fine-mesh screen around or beneath it. Drawer models hide the filter in the floor of each drawer, so a double drawer has two to clean. Some compacts use a single flat screen that lifts straight out with no twist at all. - Coarse cylinder: catches bones, pits, labels and broken glass; tap it out over the trash first. - Fine mesh: holds the grease film that makes water cloudy; scrub it gently with a soft brush under warm running water. - Sump opening: the hole the filter sat in; look inside with a flashlight and pick out anything sharp by hand, carefully. ### Putting it back correctly Seat the flat screen first, then lower the cylinder and turn it until it locks, often with an arrow lining up with a mark on the tub floor. A filter left loose lets debris bypass it straight into the pump, which is how a cleaning habit can cause the very jam it was meant to prevent. Source: [Whirlpool — Cleaning the removable filtration system](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Dishwasher/Other/Cleaning_and_Odor/Cleaning_and_Maintenance/Cleaning_the_Filter/Cleaning_the_Removable_Filtration_System_-_Dishwasher) — Upper filter turns a quarter turn counterclockwise; no wire brushes A lower spray arm held under a running kitchen tap, water spraying from its jets. ## Spray arm cleaning Every rack is served by its own spray arm: one under the lower rack, one under the upper rack, and on many machines a third high in the tub or a small spray head at the top. Each arm spins because water leaves its nozzles at an angle, so a few plugged holes weaken the spin as well as the spray. Mineral crust inside a nozzle is harder to shift than food. Soaking the arm for half an hour in warm white vinegar softens it enough for the toothpick to finish the job. ### Removing the arms The lower arm usually pulls straight up or unscrews from a center hub. The middle arm is clipped or threaded to the underside of the upper rack; slide the rack out and look for a nut or tab at its center. A top spray head, where fitted, often stays in place and is cleaned where it sits. ### Clearing the nozzles Hold each arm under the faucet and watch the water come out of the holes; any hole that stays dry is plugged. Push a wooden toothpick into it from the outside, then shake the arm and listen. A rattle means seeds or glass are loose inside, and rinsing through the center opening flushes them out. ### Checking the spin Once the arms are back, turn each by hand. It should spin several times from a light push without scraping. An arm that stops short is either catching on a tall utensil hanging through the rack or sitting on a worn bearing, and a cracked arm will never spin properly however clean it is. Source: [Whirlpool — Spray arm not working](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Dishwasher/Operation/Spray_Arms_Not_Working/Spray_Arm_Not_Working_-_Dishwasher) — Spin the spray arm by hand to check it turns freely ## While the racks are out Five more minutes finishes the job and covers the places odor tends to start. 1. Run a damp cloth along the rubber seal and the lower lip of the door, a strip no spray ever reaches. 2. Clear the front ledge of the tub floor, just inside the door, where crumbs settle. 3. Check the detergent cup lid opens freely and the rinse aid cap closes tightly. 4. Look along the rack tines for broken coating; exposed metal rusts and stains dishes. 5. If a greasy smell hangs on, follow up with a cleaner tablet in an otherwise empty machine. ## Where to stop Stop if you find broken glass deep in the sump that you cannot see clearly, or a filter housing that is cracked; reaching blindly into the sump cuts fingers, and a damaged housing lets debris into the drain pump. Also stop if the arms are clean but still do not turn, which points to the circulation system rather than the nozzles. Written by [DishwasherRepair.center technical team](https://dishwasherrepair.center/authors/technical-team/). The dishwasher technicians behind the service visits booked here. Each article grows out of problems met in real kitchens and is compared with the maker's manuals and service literature wherever those are published. Sources: [Whirlpool — Cleaning the removable filtration system](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Dishwasher/Other/Cleaning_and_Odor/Cleaning_and_Maintenance/Cleaning_the_Filter/Cleaning_the_Removable_Filtration_System_-_Dishwasher) · [Whirlpool — Water remains in the filter area](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Dishwasher/Cycle_Concerns/Not_Draining%2F%2FWater_Remains/Water_Remains_In_Filter_Area_-_Dishwasher) · [ENERGY STAR — Dishwashers key product criteria](https://www.energystar.gov/products/dishwashers/key_product_criteria) · [Whirlpool — Spray arm not working](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Dishwasher/Operation/Spray_Arms_Not_Working/Spray_Arm_Not_Working_-_Dishwasher) ## Step by step. Four steps, in the order worth doing them. 01 ### Empty and cool Wait for a cycle to end, give the tub a few minutes to cool, empty it and pull the bottom rack clear. 02 ### Lift the filter Turn the cylinder to unlock it, lift it out together with its flat screen, and brush both clean at the sink. 03 ### Take off the arms Remove the lower arm and the one under the upper rack, then flush each nozzle and poke dry holes clear with a toothpick. 04 ### Reassemble and test Lock the filter, refit the arms, spin each by hand, and run a short rinse to confirm nothing rattles or scrapes. For the heart of your home. ## Questions owners ask. ### Can the filter go in the dishwasher's own top rack or in the sink with bleach? Warm water, a little dish soap and a soft brush are all it needs. Bleach and harsh cleaners can weaken the mesh and its plastic frame over time. ### My machine has no removable filter. What then? A number of older designs, and a handful of new ones, grind scraps with a chopper blade instead of trapping them. There is nothing to rinse, though the area around the drain opening still collects debris worth picking out. ### Do I need to switch off the power first? Not for lifting out the filter and the arms, which touch no wiring. Wait until the cycle has fully finished and the tub has cooled, since the heating element on the floor stays hot for a while. ### How do I know the routine is working? Glasses on both racks come out equally clean, the tub floor holds no gray water when the cycle ends, and there is no sour smell when the door opens after a day closed. ## The problems behind it. Each has a page of its own: what it usually means and the causes in the order worth checking. [All 17 problems](https://dishwasherrepair.center/problems/) Problem ### Dishwasher Not Cleaning Dishes 5 causes, cheapest first Problem ### Dishwasher Smells Bad 5 causes, cheapest first Problem ### Dishwasher Not Draining 6 causes, cheapest first ## When it needs a technician. 15 error codes on this site send owners here first. The repairs on the right are where this guide ends when the checks do not settle it. [ASKO F45](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/asko-f45/) [ASKO F56](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/asko-f56/) [Dacor 3C](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/dacor-3c/) [Fisher & Paykel A6](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/fisher-and-paykel-a6/) [JennAir F7E2](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/jennair-f7e2/) [KitchenAid F6E3](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/kitchenaid-f6e3/) [LG LE](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/lg-le/) [LG nE](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/lg-ne/) [Maytag F7E2](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/maytag-f7e2/) [Miele F14](https://dishwasherrepair.center/error-codes/miele-f14/) ### Maintenance A visit that clears the filter, the spray arms and the drain path before they become a repair call. ### Wash motor and circulation The motor that throws the water at the dishes, and the most expensive part most dishwashers have. ### Drain and pump repair Water left standing in the tub, cleared by finding where the drain path actually stops. ## More in maintenance and prevention. The few routine jobs that head off most of the calls we get, and how often each one is really needed. [The whole section](https://dishwasherrepair.center/guides/maintenance-and-prevention/) Keeping it out of trouble ### Hard water and rinse aid: ending spots and cloudy glasses Grains per gallon, the rinse aid dial, the hardness setting and a vinegar test that tells mineral film from permanent etching. Keeping it out of trouble ### Why you should run the hot water before starting a cycle The first fill comes from whatever is sitting in the pipe, and a cold start makes the machine wash worse and run longer. Guides ### All 18 guides Six sections, by what you are trying to find out. --- **[Read on the site: Filter and spray arm cleaning, step by step](https://dishwasherrepair.center/guides/filter-and-spray-arm-cleaning/)** **[Book a visit with DishwasherRepair.center](https://dishwasherrepair.center/schedule/)**