In my experience, the best place for mesh colanders is the upper rack of the dishwasher.

When I've put them on the lower rack, the debris that flies around during the wash cycle gets stuck in the mesh. Doesn't happen on the upper rack, for whatever reason.

Keep it wet, don't let the colander dry out. Then scrub with a nail brush or other brush with short stiff thin bristles.

We like to use the sprayer-faucet to clean it out. And not letting it dry before cleaning makes it much easier to do so!

Give it a light spray or rub with olive oil before you drain the pasta. Works for keeping your tomato sauce from staining your storage containers, too.

scrub brush.

Buy a plastic colander for pasta--a good, inexpensive investment if you boil a lot of pasta. Also, don't overcook your pasta. Softer pasta is much more likely to "catch" onto a mesh strainer.

When I am making pasta, I have one side of my sink filled with hot soapy water (I use Dawn and it is the best) and right after I drain my pasta, the colander goes directly in the water to soak. Then I use a scrub brush to clean it an viola...clean colander. I don't put mine in the dishwasher because it never seems to get as clean. The other option is to use an inexpensive plastic colander, much easier to clean in the pasta straining department, ESPECIALLY if you are using a fine mesh strainer!

Here's a tip! Stop overcooking your pasta!

Soak your colander before pouring your pasta into it. Don't let it completely dry in your colander; instead dump the still slightly damp pasta back into the (still hot and off the heat) cooking pot. Toss gently.

'nthing the whole rinse your colander immediately after use idea posted & leave your pasta a bit al dente before draining idea that was posted so many times previously.

I used to have this problem, but I don't anymore. Here's what I do:

Right after using, flip the colander upside-down, then spray, rinse, and/or scrub it and all of the pieces get cleared out. If you keep it right-side up the pasta bits just get mashed down into the mesh and stuck there.

To everyone saying "don't over-cook your pasta" , I have undercooked my pasta and this can still happen, so that's not the problem.

Wash the backside first with soapy scrub. Rince. This will takeoff all the chunks. If necessary, wash bothsides once more. If you start scrubbing from right side, the chunks get incorporated and thats a nightmare. Use a cheap toothbrush (old used? yuk) with soap. It also helps cleaning any intricate things. Its a miracle on tea strainer too (if you are using loose leaf tea, you know the problem).

Uh, if I'm correct in my understanding, you've got a strainer or sieve and not a colander. A colander isn't made of metal mesh, it's a larger-holed metal or plastic bowl. Sieves don't work well for pasta, though IMO it is good to have one of both.

For now, I suggest using the spray attachment on your sink (if you have one) or a sponge, and cleaning it immediately after use before the bits have time to really dry out and stick.

Good advice above. Don't overcook, remove the pasta right way to a bowl, and rinse the colander before it can dry.

Make sure all the solid food is out then wipe it down with a cloth in case any "invisible" pasta stuck to the colander. I also give a blast of water and scrub (with a scrub brush) a bit of eco friendly soap on it and let it sit briefly.