How to Clean a Bosch Dishwasher Filter

Routinely cleaning your Bosch dishwasher filter can improve the performance of your dishwasher. The filter used within Bosch dishwashers has three levels of filtration in order to trap food particles that come loose during the cleaning cycle. This serves two purposes: ensuring that only clean water circulates throughout the dishwasher and preventing food scraps from clogging the drainpipe.

However, the filter system only works if it's regularly cleaned. Heavily soiled dishwasher filters cannot trap particles, and you'll notice that a film coats your dishes or that food scraps have settled on the bottom of bowls or inside cups. You may also find that your dishwasher has slow-to-drain standing water when the cycle is complete.

Fortunately, you don't need any special tools or cleaners in order to remove and wash a Bosch dishwasher filter. At most, you may want an old toothbrush to help scrub a heavily soiled filter.

The dishwasher filter is located on the bottom of the dishwasher floor. Grasp the top of the filter and turn it counterclockwise. Then pull straight up in order to lift the entire filter ensemble out of the dishwasher. Pull down on the bottom section of the filter in order to separate it from the other components for easier handling and cleaning.

If any large pieces of food scraps are caught in the top of the filter, discard them in the trash. Next, rinse all three filter sections under warm water. If a lot of grease remains on the filters, you can let them soak in warm, soapy water and then thoroughly rinse off the soap. You can also gently scrub the filters with a soft bristle brush, like a toothbrush, but avoid harsh, abrasive scrubbers that could damage the filter.

Reassemble the entire filter by pushing the bottom part back into place under the flat, square filter. Then place the filter back into its place in the dishwasher and turn it clockwise until the arrows on the filter and on the bottom of the dishwasher align.

It's recommended that you thoroughly clean Bosch dishwasher parts at least every four months. However, if you use your dishwasher every single day and don't do anything besides pre-scraping the dishes before loading them, you may need to stick to a monthly filter cleaning schedule. Dishes coated with starches (such as from potatoes or pasta) can also quickly clog the filter, and Bosch recommends cleaning the filter immediately after running a load full of starch-laden dishes.

Regularly cleaning your filter is just one important step in keeping your dishwasher (and your dishes) clean. If you notice a hard, whitish film forming on both your dishes and the sides of your dishwasher, cleaning the filter may not solve the problem. That's because the issue isn't excess grease trapped in the filter and spreading around the dishwasher, but rather mineral-laden hard water.

Traces of the minerals (known as limescale) are left behind when the water evaporates. You can easily descale your Bosch dishwasher with a vinegar bath, which is done by running it with nothing but a bowl of white vinegar sitting on the top rack.