Unlike most parts inside a dishwasher, the filter assembly at the bottom of the tub is specifically designed to be removed and cleaned by the owner, not just a technician. It is also, by a wide margin, the maintenance task most commonly skipped, and skipping it is the most frequent reason behind a wash cycle that leaves dishes less clean than they should be.
Finding the Filter
On most Dacor dishwashers, the filter sits at the bottom of the tub, directly under the lower spray arm. It typically twists or lifts free by hand once the lower rack is pulled out — check your owner’s manual for the exact release mechanism for your model, since this varies slightly across generations.
What You’re Actually Removing
Food particles, small bits of labels or packaging, and general debris accumulate in the filter over time, since its job is to catch exactly that material before it can recirculate back onto your dishes or clog the spray arms and drain path further downstream.
How to Clean It
Rinse the filter assembly under running water, using a soft brush to dislodge anything trapped in the mesh. A filter that has gone a long time without cleaning may need a soak in warm, soapy water first to loosen built-up residue before rinsing clears it fully, and an old, soft toothbrush works well for reaching into the finer mesh sections without damaging them.
How Often
Monthly is a reasonable baseline for most households, with more frequent checks if you regularly wash dishes with heavy food residue still on them, or notice cloudiness or grit on dishes even shortly after the last cleaning.
What Skipping It Leads To
A neglected filter does not just mean dirtier dishes — the debris it should be catching keeps recirculating and can eventually work its way into the wash pump, turning a two-minute cleaning task into a genuine repair.
Check the Filter’s Surrounding Seal Too
While the filter is out, check the small gasket or seal it sits against in the tub floor, since a filter that has not been properly reseated after a previous cleaning can leave a gap large enough for unfiltered debris to bypass it entirely. A filter that seems clean but the dishwasher still performs poorly is sometimes explained by exactly this — the filter working fine, but not fully seated back in place.
A Small Habit That Prevents Most Buildup
Scraping large food scraps into the trash before loading a plate, rather than relying on the dishwasher to break everything down from scratch, meaningfully reduces how fast the filter loads up between cleanings. You do not need to pre-rinse dishes thoroughly — most modern dishwashers, including Dacor’s, are designed to handle a reasonable amount of food residue — but bones, large scraps, and anything that will not break down in a wash cycle are worth removing by hand first.
If Cleaning Doesn’t Solve It
If dishes still come out dirty or gritty after a proper filter cleaning, visit our Dacor dishwasher repair page to schedule a diagnostic.