4.5 year old dishwasher not cleaning so well recently

[Blackden]

I'm using as much detergent as usual and the same brand. Nothing's changed except when I'm unloading it I'm finding that things haven't been cleaned as well.
Any thoughts?

Have you cleaned out the arms / filter and done a maintenance cycle (hottest cycle run empty with white vinegar or specialist cleaner) lately?

oops. I havent cleaned out the arms/filter ever .
And it's been a while since I ran it empty with the Finish cleaner.
I'd better find the manual to see about cleaning the arms.

Come back to us if you can't work out how to get the arms off to clean them. The manual for mine was distinctly unhelpful, I had to find it out by trial and error.

And when I first looked in the filter thingy in the bottom I nearly died, yeuch...

Thanks Betty.
I realised I have cleaned the filter. In mine it's like a little basket at the bottom of the machine that lifts out. But it must be at least a year since it was done however, I've definitely never cleaned the arms.

Will peruse the manual with a bottle of gin a strong cup of coffee and see if I can work it out. If not thanks for the offer and I will come back and ask for help.

there might be an additional filter, you will find it in the instrs. My previous machine had three levels of filter, the new one has two, fixed together, plus a method of poking the drainhole to clear obstinate stuff which I haven't tried yet.

I'm told that an accumulation of greasy sludge in the internal waterways will cause an obstruction and is difficult to clean out, it has to come apart. Do you use use much cooking oil or roasting/chip pans?

p.s.

you didn't mention salt. Do you keep the reservoir topped up when it runs out? the 5-in-1 multitabs really aren't as good as separate salt and rinse.