Before you go out and spend money on a brand new dishwasher because you think your current one is dying, try doing this five-minute maintenance task first. Our dishwasher was leaving a weird white cloudy film on all our glasses and leaving food particles stuck to plates, and I was about to look up budget replacements online.
Instead, I crawled down and pulled out the bottom rack. Right at the very bottom near the drain, there is a plastic cylindrical filter mesh. I twisted it out and it was absolutely disgusting completely clogged with old grease, hair, and tiny bits of food waste that had built up over the last two years.
I took it to the kitchen sink, scrubbed it clean with some hot water, dish soap, and an old toothbrush, and locked it back into place. I also ran an empty cycle with a cup of white vinegar sitting on the top rack. The dishwasher works literally good as new now. Apparently, you’re supposed to clean these filters every single month, but nobody ever reads the manual! Save your money and check the filter first.