If your dishwasher leaves food on plates, a cloudy film on glasses, or grit on otherwise clean-looking dishes, work through the checks below before arranging a repair. Start with the water supply, then check loading, filtration, water temperature, and wash products before moving on to hard-water treatment.
1. Check that water reaches the dishwasher
Confirm that the dishwasher’s water supply valve is fully open. If the supply has an anti-flood or leak-detection device, check its installation against the device’s instructions.
What to check: The tub fills normally at the start of the cycle. If it does not fill after these checks, arrange service rather than continuing to troubleshoot detergent or cloudy glasses.
2. Give the spray arms room to turn
Load dishes with their dirty surfaces facing down and inward toward the spray arms. Leave visible space between items instead of packing them tightly together: overloading restricts water circulation.
Check that no dish or utensil blocks a spray arm. On a dishwasher with a middle spray arm, turn it by hand before starting to confirm that it rotates freely. Reposition anything in its path.
A blocked arm delays both detergent removal and the removal of loosened food, leaving residue that the final rinse may not clear.
3. Rinse the removable filter
A filter coated with food or residue needs attention, especially when dishes feel gritty or cleaning performance has declined. Follow your model’s instructions to remove the filter assembly, then rinse it under running water.
Use a soft brush for stuck-on food or hard-water deposits. Do not use a wire brush or scouring pad. Finish when the mesh is free of visible debris and residue, then reinstall the assembly according to the model’s instructions.
For Maytag models with a manual filtration system, clean the upper and lower filters at least once a month.
4. Check incoming water temperature
Use the inlet-water requirement in your dishwasher’s manual rather than applying another brand’s setting. For GE dishwashers covered by its temperature guidance, incoming water must be at least 120°F and no more than 150°F, and the dishwasher must connect to the hot-water line, not the cold line.
To perform GE’s temperature check, run the hot tap nearest the dishwasher into a glass for at least one minute, continuing until the temperature stops rising. Read it with a candy or meat thermometer and compare the result with the required temperature.
Follow the appliance and water-heater safety instructions before changing temperature settings; hot water presents a scalding hazard.
5. Check detergent, rinse aid, and cycle choice
- Use dishwasher detergent only. Detergent not designed for a dishwasher can fill it with suds.
- Check freshness and dose. Use fresh detergent in the amount directed for your appliance and wash conditions.
- Use rinse aid. Whirlpool identifies rinse aid as important for wash performance and controlling hard-water deposits, not just for the appearance of glasses.
- Match the cycle to the soil. For heavily soiled dishes, select the appropriate cycle and consider a high-temperature or heated-wash option where available.
Keep detergent and rinse aid out of children’s reach. Items washed in a sanitize or antibacterial mode can be hot to the touch; handle them with care.
6. Address hard water if film or grit remains
If glasses or dishes still have a cloudy coating or gritty feel after the preceding checks, check your water hardness with a test or obtain the value from your water supplier. Hard water can leave limescale deposits on dishes and inside the appliance.
On a model with an adjustable hardness or water-softener setting, set it to match that value using the model’s instructions. If the dishwasher has a softening system that requires salt, use dishwasher salt—not table salt. Bosch warns that table salt can damage the softening system.
Include descaling in the maintenance routine specified for your appliance. Bosch recommends descaling roughly every 6–12 months in hard-water areas. After correcting the hardness setting and completing the applicable treatment, check the next load for remaining film or grit.
7. Know when to call a technician
If cleaning remains poor after completing these checks, the next step is professional diagnosis. Grinding or buzzing during the wash, or reduced spray or water flow, are additional reasons to arrange service.
At this point, have a technician evaluate the circulation pump and motor assembly, impeller, and controls rather than attempting internal disassembly. Describe the residue left on dishes, any unusual sounds, and the checks you have already completed so the service visit can focus on the remaining problem.