---
title: "Dishes come out dirty"
description: "Miele dishwasher not cleaning — miele dishes come out dirty — the machine fills, runs and empties, and the dishes are no better than when they went in."
url: "https://mielemiami.support/symptoms/dishwasher-not-cleaning/"
date_modified: "2026-08-22"
---


# Miele dishes come out dirty

### The fastest diagnosis is the code

Turn both spray arms by hand — they should spin freely — and hold them up to the light to see whether the jets are clear. Then lift out the tub filters. Between them those two checks account for a large share of these calls and neither costs anything.

### Which rack is the diagnosis

One rack clean and one dirty points at the diverter, the part that sends water up or down. Both racks equally poor with the arms turning freely points at the circulation pump. An arm that will not turn at all points at itself. Those three answers cover most of these calls and you can tell them apart from the kitchen.

### Scale is a real cause here

Jets partly closed with scale reduce pressure gradually, so the machine seems to get worse over a year rather than failing. That is maintenance rather than a repair, and it is on the maintenance page for that reason.

A spray arm that will not turn

Caught on a tall item, or its bearing worn. Free to find.

Jets blocked with scale

In this water it is a maintenance item rather than an accident.

The diverter

What one clean rack and one dirty rack usually means. It sends water up or down and has stopped switching.

The circulation motor

When both racks are equally poor and the arms turn freely.

Water in and out normally, and still not clean

What it usually means

One rack clean and the other not

Gritty residue on everything

Worse on the short programs than the long ones

The fastest diagnosis is the code

Turn both spray arms by hand — they should spin freely — and hold them up to the light to see whether the jets are clear. Then lift out the tub filters. Between them those two checks account for a large share of these calls and neither costs anything.

Which rack is the diagnosis

One rack clean and one dirty points at the diverter, the part that sends water up or down. Both racks equally poor with the arms turning freely points at the circulation pump. An arm that will not turn at all points at itself. Those three answers cover most of these calls and you can tell them apart from the kitchen.

Scale is a real cause here

Jets partly closed with scale reduce pressure gradually, so the machine seems to get worse over a year rather than failing. That is maintenance rather than a repair, and it is on the maintenance page for that reason.

---

**[Read full article: Dishes come out dirty](https://mielemiami.support/symptoms/dishwasher-not-cleaning/)**