LG Dishwasher Filter Replacement
LG filters lift straight up — grab the handle in the middle of the tub floor and pull. No quarter-turn twist like Bosch or Samsung, no tools at all. Rinse it weekly. Replace it only when the mesh is physically damaged, because a torn screen sends food straight into the drain pump.
Two filters that come out as one piece#
The assembly you lift out is really two components stacked together. The outer cylindrical mesh catches the big material — bones, pasta, vegetable stems. The inner fine-mesh sleeve sits inside that cylinder and catches what gets past it: grease, coffee grounds, rice grains. They lift out together and go back in together.
The outer mesh is the one that fails, usually after 3-5 years, and faster in a house where sharp utensils get loaded pointing down and end up contacting it. Once it tears, large debris passes into the sump and can jam the drain pump impeller. That is the whole reason this cheap part matters.
Rinsing versus replacing#
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Normal weekly use, or after a heavy pots-and-pans load | Pull it, rinse under hot water, soft-brush the mesh — about 30 seconds |
| White crusty deposits on the mesh | Calcium from hard water. Soak in white vinegar 15-20 minutes |
| Tears, holes or stretched patches in the screen | Replace |
| Cracked or warped plastic frame | Replace |
| Will not seat flush in the tub floor after cleaning | Replace — the base has warped |
| Grit on dishes despite a freshly cleaned filter | Replace |
| Odour survives a vinegar soak | Replace |
| Yellowing or tomato-sauce staining, everything else fine | Neither — that is cosmetic |
Hold the mesh up to a light every time you clean it. Pinholes and stretched areas are the tell, and they are easy to miss on a wet filter in a dim kitchen.
Do You Have the Right Tools?
Water pressure gauge ($60), spray arm tester, float switch multimeter ($85), and drain inspection camera. Our technician arrives with $3,000+ in professional tools — your diagnostic is free.
Licensed & Insured · 90-Day Warranty · Same-Day Service
Part numbers#
The current assembly is ADQ74514102; ADQ74514101 is the legacy number for older models. Aftermarket filters are genuinely fine here — this is a passive mesh screen with no electrical function and no precision mechanical fit to hold, so there is nothing for a cheaper part to get wrong. It is among the least expensive parts on the machine either way.
Swapping it#
No need to cut power or water. This is maintenance, not a repair.
- Open the door fully and slide the lower rack out.
- Find the cylindrical assembly in the centre of the tub floor.
- Grip the handle and pull straight up. It lifts clear without twisting — if scale has bonded it in place, a gentle twist while pulling breaks the seal.
- Fit the new filter into the recess and press down until it sits flush with the tub floor.
- Slide the rack back in.
Under two minutes, rack included.
Safety First — Know the Risks
Live 120V wiring in a wet environment is one of the most dangerous DIY scenarios. Water + electricity = serious shock risk. Our techs are licensed and insured — let them handle the risk.
Licensed & Insured · 90-Day Warranty · Same-Day Service
What a clogged filter is really doing#
A blocked filter is not only a drain problem. Water recirculates through it during the wash, so a screen packed with debris means dirty water gets pumped back over your dishes. Gritty or filmy plates after a full cycle is the classic signature, and people usually blame the detergent or suspect the wash motor when the filter simply has not been touched in months. A clogged or torn filter also sits behind foul odours and OE drain errors.
And never run the machine with the filter out. It will start, but every fruit pit, bone chip and glass fragment goes directly at the pump impeller — jamming it or wearing the blades down. Swapping a torn filter is a trivial expense; a drain pump plus the labour to fit it is a different conversation entirely.
Dishes still coming out gritty with a clean, undamaged filter? Something downstream is wrong — schedule service and we will check the pump and spray arms.
Appliance Repair Technician · 8 years experience
Experienced technician with 8 years specializing in dishwasher repairs and European appliance brands including Bosch and Thermador.
