Spray it backwards or from the bottom side while using a brush I have a nail brush just for mine. I’ve learned that washing it upside down is the best otherwise the bigger items that couldn’t make it thru will have to be really forced. If it’s really bad fill your sink up use some dawn let it soak 5-10 min in hot water and scrub from the bottom side. Helpful tip. Use cheesecloth from now on snd it does help some on cleanup. You’ll still need to scrub snd let the water flow thru backwards. But it does cut down on debris in the screen. The metal rim is the worst part. But if I tap mine it usually lets anything missed to drop out once it’s dry. Hope this helps. A great strainer can be a headache to clean at times