It’s not difficult to clean a dishwasher drain.

What Causes Dishwasher Drain Clogs?

A cloggeddishwasher filtercan cause slow draining and odors.

Person cleaning a dishwasher drain

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There are two basic reasons a clog happens.

Remove the lower rack.

Turn Off the Electricity

Before cleaning the drain, turn off the breaker or unplug the dishwasher.

Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner Tablets on a blue patterned background

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Most filters are round and twist-lock into place.

Some filters are a single cylindrical component, others have a secondary flat filter below the cylinder.

You may need a screwdriver to remove the filter and any screens covering the dishwasher drain.

Materials needed to clean a dishwasher drain

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Consult your dishwasher manual about locating the drain hose and how to disconnect it to remove a clog.

Clean the filter with some dishwashing liquid.

Run an empty cleaning cycle with just a bowl of white vinegar placed securely on the top rack.

An empty dishwasher

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Do not put any vinegar in the dish soap dispenser.

The vinegar and steam will dissolve the sludge.

Bleach is too harsh for the appliance and can also damage the stainless steel parts of the interior.

Side view of a circuit breaker

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Removing the dishwasher drain filter

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Cleaning the dishwasher drain filter in the sink

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A plastic drain snake being used to clean the dishwasher drain

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Preparing to pour white vinegar into the dishwasher drain

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Running a dishwasher cycle

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