Regular Filters in Dishwasher?

[lawdawgva]

Ok, we've all heard about the stupendous tri-x filters that can go in the dishwasher for cleaning.   My question is, actually how bad is it for a regular filter to be cleaned in the dishwasher?   Will it truly ruin them that much quicker than spraying them full force with a garden hose?  Granted, you're not spraying them as long with a hose, but a dishwasher's jets are numerous and angled and I wonder if they put out so much force that they would surely tear up the filter medium.

I've always said "work smarter, not harder" but should I quit trying to be lazy and just clean my filters the regular way?    I certainly don't want to ruin a hundred bucks worth of filters, but, if anyone has had continued success cleaning their regular filters in the dishwasher, I'd like to hear their story.  Or possibly some of the dealers have sold replacement filters after hearing of oa dishwasher/filter horror story from their customer. Top rack maybe??

-Sarge

[bulmer4nc]

My dishwasher heats to 161 degrees...  I'm pretty sure it would destroy my filter.  I'm not real fond of the idea of the stuff in my filter being anywhere close to where my dishes are anyway...  

[NE-Phil]

I have two sets of filters. One set is always clean and ready to replace the set currently in the tub. I rinse my filters in the dishwasher and I've been doing it for the last 6 months. I check them carefully each time and they're in good shape. Mine are too large for the top rack. I just put them in the lower rack.

One thing to watch out for. My dishwasher gives me the option of turning off the heat during the drying cycle. They call it the "Energy Saver" feature. If your dishwasher has something equivalent I would turn off the heat. The first time I ran it, I noticed one hariline crack in the housing of each of the filters. I figured it got too hot so when drying the next set of filters I turned off the heat during the drying cycle. No cracks.

So far, everyone is in good health! And the dishes don't taste like bromine either!

Phil

[Brookenstein]

One question about using the dishwasher...
What do you do if your dishwasher uses a rinse aid (i.e. Jet Dry)?  I have a brand new dishwasher and I'm not sure how/if I can set the rinse aid to not be used.  

[drewstar]

  I would love to wash my filter in the dishwasher, but I am hesitant about the hot water and I wonder if a Dishwasher would be able to get deep between the pleats equally over the entire filter (as the dishwasher spray nozzles are focused on the bottom and top). I'm pretty anal about getting  everything out from between the pleats, and esp in the ends where it seems stuff gets forced down into.

Currently (After soaking the filter in a tub of cleaner for 24 hrs) I take my  filter into the bathroom and rinse it in the tub/shower with a hand held shower massage nozzle doo-hickey.

I've taken the band off around the pleats  so I can seperate and flush out the filter a lot better.  (I've yet to  get a definitive answer on if removing the band is good or bad, but I've done it on all my cartridges over the past few years and haven't had a problem YMMV).



Perhaps next time I will try the dishwasher method, and turn off the heat cycle at the end of the wash.

[Brewman]

On my filters, that band comes unglued pretty quickly and I end up removing it well before the filter needs replacing.  Hasn't seemed to hurt anything by it's absence.  Maybe it's there for shipping protection, or something.  

[drewstar]

On my filters, that band comes unglued pretty quickly and I end up removing it well before the filter needs replacing.  Hasn't seemed to hurt anything by it's absence.  Maybe it's there for shipping protection, or something.  

I was told it was for shipping and can be removed. Others have told me it's to help hold the shape of the pleats as suction may distort them.  Everyone has said don't worry if they come off.  

Makes it a lot easier to clean.

[Ehizzle]

I agree with what everyone has said. I think the way tri-x is designed at and angle with a hard plastic material versus tons of strait paperish pleats makes it easier to clean in the dishwasher. Even still we make a habit of suggesting our customers using Baquaspa to not use tri-x. Baqua uses the filters much more than chlorine or bromine and the dishwasher just doesnt seem to do the job.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

I was told it was for shipping

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. To prevent what?

The band keeps the pleats seperated when water is rushing through the filter. Without the band some to many of the pleats will fold up against eachother and you lose some of the filtering capability.