You load your dishwasher rack as you always do, but when the glasses come out, they are cloudy, and the plates are still caked with last night's dinner. Before you start blaming your detergent, check something much smaller: the spray arm nozzles. According to Consumer Reports, food debris can clog these tiny openings, and the fix is just as simple: carefully clean each one with a toothpick or pipe cleaner. It's a five-minute job, and it's one of the easiest ways to help a dishwasher last longer.
Why spray arms get clogged in the first place
Most dishwashers have one spray arm below the bottom rack and another under the upper rack, with a few models adding a third arm near the top. Each arm sprays water through a row of small nozzle holes to clean the dishes, and food debris that clogs these nozzles can distort the spray pattern and reduce the dishwasher’s cleaning ability. According to the same Consumer Reports report, an expert who runs the outlet's dishwasher test lab recommends inspecting the spray arm holes every few months and clearing any debris gently. A widened or deformed hole can also disrupt the spray pattern.
The toothpick trick, step by step
The lower spray arm typically lifts off with a gentle tug, while the center or upper arm may require unscrewing from below the rack with a cross-head screwdriver. Once an arm is out, Consumer Reports recommends rinsing it under the faucet and checking for clogged holes, which can be carefully cleared with a toothpick or wooden skewer. The outlet’s testing expert recommends taking it slow and not making the holes any bigger, as that can impact the spray pattern. After clearing the holes, flow water through the arm again before reinstalling it to ensure that the flow is even.
