all this did was rip my filter. looks to me that you need to just bite the bullet and buy another one. we did. 3rd one in 10 years. gotta love our disposable products! should be able to pop it out and clean it. no $$. all this did was rip my filter. looks to me that you need to just bite the bullet and buy another one. we did. 3rd one in 10 years. gotta love our disposable products! should be able to pop it out and clean it. no $$.

We had the same problem and I just fixed it. I wasn't able to "twist and pop" the filter screen at the release valve (and was concerned given theron621's caution about ripping the filter.) Determined to get it clean, here's what I did. It took me about 30 mins start to finish but that included time to find this website and experiment. If it happens again, I could do it in 5-10 mins:
-gather and clean the following supplies: tiny straight-edge screwdriver, tweezers
-unplug the unit, take the tops off, and empty/rinse the cannister
-flip cannister over and (carefully!) pop out the white valve and tiny spring with your hands
-using tweezers, pull the tiny black rubber washer out from underneath the filter
-clear filter using a strong stream of hot water (I "power washed" the filter from both sides using our showerhead since the sink sprayer was not strong enough)
-once clear, turn cannister back over and pop white plastic valve back on
-fit small black washer onto top of valve and place spring back in place
-here's the trick - CAREFULLY push valve and washer back through the hole. Using the screwdriver, inch the washer back into the hole. You are trying to secure the washer back underneath the filter (to hold the valve in place) without tearing it, breaking anything, etc.
-check to see if cannister holds water, you may have to pop the valve back out and do it again to ensure both the spring and washer are in place

ALL DONE! It sounds more complicated than it is. I am not a handy "wife" at all and I did this while the hubby and son were outside swimming! We had the same problem and I just fixed it. I wasn't able to "twist and pop" the filter screen at the release valve (and was concerned given theron621's caution about ripping the filter.) Determined to get it clean, here's what I did. It took me about 30 mins start to finish but that included time to find this website and experiment. If it happens again, I could do it in 5-10 mins: -gather and clean the following supplies: tiny straight-edge screwdriver, tweezers -unplug the unit, take the tops off, and empty/rinse the cannister -flip cannister over and (carefully!) pop out the white valve and tiny spring with your hands -using tweezers, pull the tiny black rubber washer out from underneath the filter -clear filter using a strong stream of hot water (I "power washed" the filter from both sides using our showerhead since the sink sprayer was not strong enough) -once clear, turn cannister back over and pop white plastic valve back on -fit small black washer onto top of valve and place spring back in place -here's the trick - CAREFULLY push valve and washer back through the hole. Using the screwdriver, inch the washer back into the hole. You are trying to secure the washer back underneath the filter (to hold the valve in place) without tearing it, breaking anything, etc. -check to see if cannister holds water, you may have to pop the valve back out and do it again to ensure both the spring and washer are in place ALL DONE! It sounds more complicated than it is. I am not a handy "wife" at all and I did this while the hubby and son were outside swimming!