How to clean your dishwasher? Although the dishwasher is a household appliance that cleans and shines the dishes, the fact remains that it must also be cleaned.
For effective cleaning and maintenance, here are some tips and products to properly clean and disinfect the dishwasher.
For quick cleaning and descaling of the inside of the dishwasher, here is how to do it:
- Pour the equivalent of 3 cups of white vinegar directly inside the dishwasher.
- Run the dishwasher on the normal (or fast) cycle with no load.
- Once the vinegar cycle is complete, start again to be sure to eliminate all traces and odors of white vinegar.
Add baking soda in addition to white vinegar for even more effective cleaning of the dishwasher.
2. Use vinegar as a rinse aid
Let’s continue with the white vinegar but this time you will use it as a dishwasher rinse aid.
Indeed, the rinsing agent makes it possible to clean and shine the dishes but it also makes it possible to keep the interior surface much cleaner. So replace your dishwasher’s rinse aid with vinegar.
You can even make your own dishwasher tablets as you will discover here: Make your own dishwasher detergent.
3. Thoroughly clean your dishwasher
Of course, if you want to clean, de-clog and deodorize the dishwasher, you will have to clean all the surfaces and removable parts of the appliance by hand.
Remove and clean by hand:
- the carts
- the filter(s)
- utensil baskets, etc.
Clean also in depth:
- the dishwasher tub
- door and seals
- all interior surfaces
Soak Dishwasher Baskets:
Every 2 or 3 months, you can soak the baskets and other accessories and removable parts in a basin filled with hot water, dish soap and white vinegar.
For very stubborn stains such as mold stains, you can dilute bleach with water to thoroughly clean and disinfect everything.
Is water stagnating in the bottom of the device?
If you have a water drain problem with your dishwasher then this other article and video will help you fix it: How to unclog a dishwasher?
4. Clean the edges of the dishwasher door
I wanted to come back to the importance of cleaning the dishwasher door, its contour and especially its seal!
Indeed, the contours of the door as well as the seals are not washed when you operate the dishwasher. This is why it is important to clean its components yourself.
With vinegar or other household products!
You can use a sponge or cloth with vinegar or other household product. You can even use a brush to clean and remove mold stains from door seals and more.
5. Remove limescale and hard water deposits
Is your water very calcareous in nature? If your water is hard, it is important to descale the inside of your dishwasher from time to time.
Here’s how to detract a dishwasher:
- Completely empty the dishwasher and pour 2 cups of white vinegar directly into the tub.
- Start a complete wash cycle by selecting the hottest water possible. Halfway through the cycle, stop the dishwasher and let the vinegar act overnight.
- The next morning, complete the cycle and wipe the interior with a dry cloth.
You can also replace the white vinegar as a limescale remover with 6 tablespoons of citric acid.
6. Remove the smell of mold in a dishwasher
Over time, and especially if you don’t take the time to thoroughly clean the dishwasher, bad odors may appear.
A trick against bad mold odors is to use bleach. Here’s how to use it well:
- Add to a bowl about 1/2 cup of bleach.
- Place the bowl on one of the racks of the dishwasher, being careful that it does not tip over.
- Run the dishwasher on the regular wash cycle.
- Once the wash is finished, replace the bleach with white vinegar and start a new wash cycle.
- Then pour lemon juice into the detergent compartment and finish with a final wash cycle.
Of course, to be really effective, it is important to clean the entire interior of the dishwasher once a month. This will prevent the formation of mold and bad smells.