GE Dishwasher filter question

[seeitrun2006]

DW Model #PDT715SMN0ES VM72968B per GE web site it was manufactured November 2019.
Per the owner user manual I should clean the removable filter every 2-3 months. Currently I’m cleaning it 2-4 times a week. We do not rinse our dishes prior to loading unless there’s chunks of foods. We usually run it daily for a family of 3 adults. If I wait 2 to 3 months to clean it would be completely clogged.

Is this normal since I don’t rinse my dishes prior to washing? The dishwasher cleans really well and is very quiet.
We don’t rinse to keep our water bill down. We hardly ever eat out. We cooked most nights which generates a more dishes.

I know everyone has different opinions about pre-rinsing versus not pre-rinsing. I just do not want to send my DW to an early death because I missed something maintenance wise.

Thanks!
David

 

[henene4]

I don't think soil on a filter accumulates the way you'd think.

After a few cycles, there's always that thin layer of residue on it. That's the stuff that's so fine that it just barely dosen't pass through the filter and thus gets stuck in the pores.
That doesn't really get much more or much less.

If you don't trust that, work your way up.
Wait a week. If results are the same, wait another week.
So on, so on.

My Miele reminds me to clean the filter every 50 cycles or so. That would be a bit more than a month with yours.

 

[foraloysius]

Perhaps it’s the detergent? And/or perhaps the dosage of it? When we do laundry we are used to adjusting the amount of detergent. I find it awkward that we don’t do that when we use a dishwasher. I never prerinse. When I have a full dishwasher with lots of dirty dishes I add a little powder to the tab I am using. There’s hardly anything in the filter of my 11 year old Miele dishwasher.

 

[mark_wpduet]

It sounds like you're doing the right thing...scraping, not rinsing.. But I would consider every day HEAVY use... To be honest with you, I wouldn't mind having a dishwasher with a removable filter so I can keep it clean myself... instead of one like I have now that's built in with a food chopper that I don't have access to without taking machine apart.... If it's cleaning well, I tend to feel like this is normal but it's just getting dirtier faster from the heavy use. Good for you for cooking at home every day and not eating out...

Is it difficult to clean? Just curious

 

[combo52]

Modern dishwashers with removable filters

As others have said these do not need cleaning very often it is definitely something to check if you're getting any type of serious residue on it then you need to alter your usage of the machine.

Even if this filter clogged up, it won't damage the machine but you'll get lousy results and you should address that as soon as you get less than stellar results out of any dishwasher.

On my dishwashers, I use a good premium pod in the dispenser, but since we put loads in so filthy. I always put about a tablespoon or so of either liquid or powder dishwasher detergent in the pre-wash cup or just put it on the door when you start it that goes a long ways to keep things cleaner.

Working on dishwashers every day I would definitely rather have a dishwasher that does not have a filter that has to be cleaned ever I'm much prefer the self cleaning designs that KitchenAid and Maytag uses on their premium machines. They're cheaper models. Do you still have filters.

My first service call yesterday afternoon was a real nice GE dishwasher 2021 machine. It was making an awful noise when the main pump was running. I had to pull the whole machine out take the pump apart and there was a piece of plastic covered cardboard in there 2/3 the size of a credit card that had gotten past the filter no doubt when someone removed to clean and jammed in the impeller luckily I didn't have to replace the pump and it's working fine again, but it's an expensive repair to get in there much rather have the KitchenAid or Maytag system where things that size just can't get into the pump Area.

John

 

[gelaundry4ever]

not rinsing

It's good you're not rinsing your dishes before loading them which preserves your racks. What detergent and rinse aid are you using? In my dishwasher, I use Finish Ultimate and Finish Jet Dry.

 

[seeitrun2006]

Thanks for the replies

It’s no trouble to clean the filter, just something else to remember to do.

We had a whirlpool without the filter, the pump kept getting stopped up. Once with broken glass another time with chicken bones then it died. Replaced it with whirlpool filter model. Everything worked good except things got past got past the filter and clogged up my wash arms. Sold it with the last house.

We use finish tabs blue with the red dot in the middle with rinse aid in my GE. I clean my filter with a tooth brush and Dawn foaming dish wash. The GE came with our current house.

I really appreciate all the responses. It helps a lot knowing everyone’s experiences.

May Peace, Happiness and Joy be with each and every one!

 

[jamiel]

We've had a GE dishwasher with this filter in a very hard water area along with a Bosch in a similarly hard water area and also one in a soft water area. The filter seems to get limed up a bit, and the flexible nylon (as opposed to the Bosch's stainless steel) doesn't clean up as well. It mostly appears to be fibers (vegetable/fruit/frayed wooden spoons) with small bits and seeds (tomato seeds, individual broccoli blossoms). Advice above is good---you probably won't break anything waiting, but a rigorous "scrape not rinse" is loading it up.

 

[johnb300m]

As the past owner of a filter-cup GE machine, a KA filter-cup machine, and my parents had the GE filter-cup machine also.
One common theme is that GE dishwashers are not very good at "self cleaning" their filter cups.
But here are the differences:
- My GE was in my house with a water softener. That made a world of difference and whether I used powder Cascade, or Finish tabs, the filter cup would easily go 2 months before I needed to clean it.
I never pre-rinsed, and the dirtiest part of the cup screen would be where the pump inlet was located. The backs side was usually not that bad.
- My parents' GE usage was different, with different results. They have moderately hard water, and were big proponents of using Kirkland powder or tabs, sometimes getting Cascade powder on sale. They would rinse their dishes fairly often before loading, and would use the "Light" cycle 90% of the time.
I would check the filter cup every time I visit, (every 3-4 months) and it would be almost fully caked with some kind of white, globby coating. It seemed like some kind of layer of water minerals, soap scum and dust/grit.
They never really complained about washability. Only about it "not drying as well as their old GE Triton XL."
- The KA I had in the same house with water softening, was far far more capable of cleaning its own filter cup. That's one of the magic things about Whirlpool's old Global Wash platform.
It would do little purges that would flush water in and out of the filter cup, so any impurities could go down the drain. The GEs don't do that.

So I believe there are meaningful differences that can contribute to how long, and what builds up on filter cups.
It can be various design differences between brands. Cycle handling. Local water conditions, and preferred detergents, and how those interact with the family's typical soils and water conditions.

I would leave it be until the 1 month passes, unless you start seeing washability issues before that time.
You can also try experimenting with different detergents, powders, pods, gels, brands etc.

 

[spinspeed]

I have a new double F & P dish drawer and instructions says clean filters every two months. I left the filters for nearly a month. When I took them out there was no chunky stuff but there was a film of slime on the filters. Rinsed of really easily. I think weekly clean is a good habit to get in to.

 

[seeitrun2006]

Filter update using a Finish dishwasher cleaner

Yesterday I checked the sump pump area with a flash light where the filter fits down into and locks. The water that was left in the sump after washing a load of dishes was brown and look like swamp water with food trash floating in it. However the dishes came out clean. So it’s doing it job.

Last night I ran a Finish dishwasher cleaner. After the cleaning was done the water in the sump was clear. The filter has stuff which looked like residual gunk on it from previous use.

It will be going thru the riggers with all the extra dishes during the holidays. I’ll wait and check it after the New Year.

Peace, Joy and Happiness makes the world a better place to live!

David

 

[lakewebsterkid]

Filters

The filter on our Bosch we had for about 3 years was almost always dirtier than I would like. I cleaned it before each cycle. OCD? Likely. I have always felt the filter surface was too coarse and allowed too much to become lodged. But Whirlpool filters never are as dirty IMHO. As another mentioned, whirlpool filters are a nylon like material, but is odd that I find it cleans off more easily. There are a lot of factors playing into it, but I would imagine every 2-3 cycles is acceptable to wait between cleanings. I do imagine Whirlpool machines running Normal High Temp, Sensor, or Heavy perform a lot of purges to clean the filter, and it seemingly works. I can’t give input on GE machines. However, Frigidaire has horrible filters.