Abstract: A dishwasher has a container with baskets for the articles to be washed, a flushing system with a scavenging pump, spray arms, a strainer system with a fine strainer and a coarse strainer, and a discharge pump. The operation of the dishwasher is controlled by a control system which, after a prewashing controls partial drainage of the water to such an extent that the water level is lower than the upper surface of the fine strainer. With this reduced water level, the fine strainer is cleaned by running the residual amount of water through the flushing system during a predetermined time interval. Dirt flushed away from the strainer surface is collected in the central part of the strainer system and is discharged after completion of the flushing together with the residual water amount.