A self-cleaning system for a plate press (100) or cylinder press (110) for filtering a fluid product and for eliminating waste material accumulated on filter membranes (13) in a waste accumulation area (102) of the plate press (100) or cylinder press (110), said system comprising a drain port (DP) adjacent to the waste accumulation area (102), said system comprising an area (103) creating a circulation of water and/or forced air jets within the waste accumulation area (102) to expel the waste to the drain port (DP), whereby the waste accumulation area (102) is cleaned from the waste material without having to disassemble the plate press or cylinder press.