Unlike older dishwashers with a hard food disposer, Kenmore’s UltraWash and UltraWash Plus systems rely on a removable filter to physically trap food particles, which means that filter genuinely needs regular attention rather than being a set-and-forget component.
A Realistic Cleaning Schedule
For an average household, once a month is a reasonable baseline. Homes that run the dishwasher daily, cook with a lot of produce scraps, or rarely pre-rinse dishes should check it every two weeks instead.
What Happens When It’s Skipped
A gradually clogging filter doesn’t usually cause a sudden failure — it shows up first as dishes coming out less clean than they used to, then as a lingering odor, and eventually as the drainage stalls covered in some of our other posts. Regular filter cleaning prevents nearly all of that progression.
How to Do It
Most Kenmore lower filters twist a quarter-turn to release and lift straight out. Rinse under running water and use an old toothbrush on the fine mesh screen if it’s visibly caked, then twist it back into place until it locks.
If Cleaning Doesn’t Fix Performance
A filter that’s clean but dishes are still coming out dirty points to a spray-arm or sensor issue instead. See our Kenmore dishwasher repair page.