I Had No Idea My Dishwasher Filter Looked Like This
I've lived in my apartment for almost four years and somehow never once thought about the dishwasher filter.
I run the dishwasher several times a week and honestly just assumed if dishes were coming out mostly clean, everything was fine. Lately though I noticed a slight smell whenever I opened the door after a cycle. Nothing horrible, just kind of musty. I tried cleaning the door seal, running cleaning tablets, even wiping down the interior.
The smell kept coming back.
Yesterday I finally looked up common causes and saw multiple people mentioning the filter. I didn't even know my dishwasher had a removable one.
So I pulled out the bottom rack, twisted the filter loose, and... wow.
I genuinely stared at it for a few seconds trying to process what I was looking at. It was packed with old food particles, grease, and what looked like years of buildup. I almost wish I hadn't seen it. At the same time, it was weirdly satisfying to finally clean it.
After a good rinse and scrub I ran an empty cycle. The difference was immediate. No smell, dishes looked cleaner, and the machine even seemed quieter somehow.
I feel a little embarrassed admitting this, but if even one person reading this hasn't checked their dishwasher filter recently, go look at it. You might be in for a surprise lol.