How to Clean a Dishwasher: Easy Steps to Remove Odors, Grease, and Buildup

No one ever stops to clean the machine that cleans. This was my reasoning during the first three years that I had an automatic dishwasher until one day when I opened it to a wave of stink that greeted me even before I could take a plate out and saw that my wine glasses were now covered in a mysterious cloud which did not matter how many times I washed them. My neighbor who was in the business of maintaining kitchen appliances for almost ten years gave me a detailed breakdown of the procedure one Saturday afternoon. What I have learned totally revolutionized the way I think of kitchen appliance maintenance, and this comprehensive guide shows what works.

The cause why there is a build up of crumbs and spotting on dishes despite going through a complete wash cycle is always due to food particles, greasy residue, soap scum, minerals, and scale formation from a machine which does not undergo any cleaning process itself. Whirlpool dishwasher manager Bree Lemmen reiterates the monthly cleaning dishwashers’ recommendation every 30 days in order to maintain your dishwasher at its best operating condition. According to Bob Vila, the maintenance man of houses, it is not too much. This simple maintenance routine helps your dishwasher perform at its best and keeps your dishes sparkling clean.

How to Clean a Dishwasher Filter: The Most Important Step Most People Skip

It all starts with the dishwasher filter, and this is the one element which very few people have ever handled in their home. Start by pulling out the bottom rack or lower rack and take a look at the floor of the dishwasher tank. The filter is there; normally it is in the form of an upper dishwasher filter and a flat lower filter or filter screen. To release the upper dishwasher filter, you will need to loosen it in an anti clockwise direction. If your dishwasher has the lower filter below the upper filter, it has to be released too. Look out for the food particles and other debris like broken glass and small pieces of papers in the filter housing.

Bring Both Parts To The Sink

Bring both parts to the sink and wash the filter with warm water from the running tap to rinse off any remaining loose food debris. The majority of the food debris and grease will be removed with warm water flowing from the tap. In case you have some stubborn bits of food debris or visible grime that won’t go away with water only, you can apply a soft bristle brush a toothbrush is a good substitute for the job here. Wash the filter housing with a damp cloth or sponge prior to installation.

In households located in areas where there is hard water in the UK, in most areas of Australia, and some states in the US, mineral buildup containing calcium and magnesium may occur on the filter screen and cannot be removed by scrubbing. In such situations, place the filter and the screen inside a container filled with 4% distilled white vinegar for several hours and scrub them afterwards. The remaining mineral buildup will fall off without any effort. It is recommended that the dishwasher filter should be cleaned every three to six months at least or more often if you use your dishwasher every day or do not scrape your plates prior to putting them in the dishwasher.

Some new models produced by Bosch have a self-cleaning filter which is equipped with an advanced water circulation system. However, this kind of filter requires regular cleaning; the term “self-cleaning” means that the filter does not need to be manually removed during every washing process.

Cleaning the Spray Arms, Door Gasket, and Drain: The Parts Listing Agents Never Photograph

Dishwasher Spray Arm

It is the dishwasher spray arm, specifically the lower spray arm located below the lower rack, that disperses water to all the dishes in the machine. Loosen and pull it out of its location in the dishwasher using the twisting or pulling method according to the make of your dishwasher. Take the spray arm and examine each one of the holes of the spray arm. The water can’t be dispersed effectively when the holes of the spray arm are clogged with hard water deposits, detergent deposits, and food deposits, making this the leading cause of ineffective washing. Use toothpicks or bamboo sticks to clear each of the holes. Flush the spray arm with water before putting it back in its rightful place.

Rubber Door Seal

It is in the rubber door seal, which comprises the gasket lining the edge of the door of your dishwasher, that the bacterial growth, mould, and mildew form. Rub a paper towel on the door gasket the first time you try cleaning it, and the dirt that you will find on the paper towel is quite shocking. Clean the door gasket using a soft bristle brush dipped in water and white vinegar solution or using a steam cleaner to loosen up any tough stains formed in the folds of the seal. Once you are done with scrubbing, use a dampened microfiber cloth to wipe off any residue left behind.

Cleansing The Dishwasher Drain

Cleansing the dishwasher drain is yet another task that must be included in the monthly maintenance routine. You will need to pull out the bottom rack and clean the drain situated at the bottom of the tub by removing all accumulated gunk with your hands or a piece of fabric. According to The Home Depot’s dishwasher cleaning guide, you should warm one cup of white vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl for 15–20 seconds, mix in two tablespoons of baking soda, pour the solution into the dishwasher drain, let it sit for 10–15 minutes, and then slowly flush the drain with boiling water. One tip here would be if you have a garbage disposal unit at your place, run it first with your faucet turned on since both dishwashers and garbage disposals use the same drain hose.

Vinegar, Baking Soda, and Citric Acid: Which Dishwasher Cleaning Method Actually Wins

The Kitchn tried five different ways of cleaning the dishwasher among five different homes. The outcomes were evident, citric acid and Affresh dishwasher cleaner tablets achieved full marks in all aspects, ease, effectiveness, time, and results. Distilled white vinegar works well for maintaining the dishwasher on a regular basis. Baking soda bombs with hydrogen peroxide provided some level of help. Bleach was not tried because using bleach in a dishwasher is a dangerous practice which rusts stainless steel and destroys rubber seals never use bleach to clean your dishwasher no matter how smelly it is.

Vinegar Cleaning Method

When using the vinegar cleaning method: Firstly, you need to ensure that your dishwasher is empty. Next, add two to three cups of white distilled vinegar into a dishwasher-safe vessel such as a glass measuring cup, a ceramic bowl, or any other type of dishwasher-safe bowl. It is better to use distilled white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar since apple cider vinegar has a dye. Place the bowl with the vinegar either in the top rack or the bottom rack depending on the instructions of different guides. But what is important here is that you have to follow the recommendations of Choice Australia which state that one should place the vinegar in the cup instead of pouring it directly into the tub. This is because many dishwashers drain the vinegar right away as they turn on their drain pump at the beginning of the wash cycle. Use the hottest cycle without detergent and the heat dry option turned off.

After the cycle using vinegar, add one cup of baking soda, or half a cup will be enough for smaller amounts, straight to the bottom of an empty dishwasher. Start a quick cycle using hot water, or use only a rinse cycle. Baking soda cycle washes out any smell left after using vinegar, helps to absorb odors, and even adds shine to the inside of the tub without scratching its surface. One main principle to keep in mind, according to all testing and manufacturing sources: never mix vinegar and baking soda together. When mixing them in the dishwasher, a fizzing process takes place, which kills any cleansing ability of these substances, leaving salty water.

Citric Acid

Food grade citric acid such as Milliard Citric Acid, a 100% pure, non GMO product available at Amazon.com, is the most powerful solution to combat hard water dishwashers, excessive accumulation of limescale and clouded glasses when vinegar does not help. Place three to four tablespoons of citric acid powder in the detergent compartment, close the dishwasher, and run a normal cycle with no dishes inside. In order to make citric acid so efficient when dealing with hard water residue, there is a chelation reaction during which the citric acid molecules bond to calcium deposits and magnesium mineral deposits and remove them from the surfaces of interior walls, heating elements, and spray arms due to circulation of the water. Dishwasher washed with citric acid gets noticeably cleaner after one cycle because of scale being removed from it. To solve the problem of hard water, use citric acid instead of vinegar every three to six months.

Commercial Cleaner

If you are a homeowner that prefers using a commercial cleaner, then the best commercial dishwashers’ cleaner is Finish dishwasher cleaner, Affresh dishwasher cleaner tablet, and the Cascade Dishwasher Cleaner. The Affresh dishwasher cleaner comprises citric acid as one of the components along with other cleaning solutions in packages of six tablets costing below $9. You will get detailed instructions on how to use it from the label, whereby the Finish dishwasher cleaner is inserted upside down in the detergent compartment or bottom of the dishwasher tub. Affresh dishwasher cleaner tablet should be added in the detergent compartment in case there is no dish loaded, but if there are dishes, it should be added in the bottom of the dishwasher tub.

If one is not comfortable using commercial products, natural substitutes that are available in almost all kitchens will get the job done. Lemon juice is antibacterial and will give the kitchenware a fresh scent of citrus, although citric acid in lemon juice is less concentrated as compared to citric acid powder, and also it is expensive per wash. Denture cleaning tablets; putting two to three denture tablets at the bottom of the dishwasher will clean the grime and also eliminate the smell in the wash cycle. Lemon-lime unsweetened drink mix such as lemonade Kool Aid has citric acid and will work as a substitute for citric acid powder in the cleaning cycle. Hydrogen peroxide works as a natural disinfectant when one cup of hydrogen peroxide is put in the bottom of the washer and washed for a short time but one should not use hydrogen peroxide along with vinegar as they react together to form a mild acid.

Calgon

Calgon is a product that should be known by European households and Australian households who experience hard water and limescale in all their home appliances, such as washing machines, sink, and shower. Choosing a detergent which includes water softener will prevent the formation of limescale between washes. Another way of eliminating the problem is through the installation of a water softener at home, whereby the water will be demineralized before it goes into the dishwasher, washing machine, or any other home appliance.

Cleaning the Dishwasher Exterior and Running the Full Maintenance Routine

When the cleaning of the inside of the dishwasher is finished, the cleaning of the outside part should be done next. If the dishwasher is made of stainless steel, then the right way to clean it would be to use a slightly moistened cloth or a microfiber cloth while wiping it following the grain. Wiping against the grain will scratch the surface of the stainless steel. To clean the control panel, it is necessary to use a slightly wet cloth, without drenching it. The door panel can be cleaned in the same manner.

The complete cleaning process of the dishwasher on a monthly basis consists of: Removing and cleaning the filter, clearing the drain, cleaning the holes in the spray arms using a toothpick or bamboo skewer, cleaning the door gasket with a brush and vinegar solution, running the vinegar cycle, running the baking soda cycle, cleaning the interior door and edges, and finally polishing the exterior. The whole process takes about 15 to 30 minutes of cleaning, depending on the time the hot wash takes. Running the garbage disposal for about a minute before starting the first dishwasher cycle can help clear common drain blockages and prevent minor drainage issues from becoming bigger problems.

One should make sure there is no food left in the bottom of the dish tub after every cycle before closing the door. Doing this will prevent more build up than any cleaning product can. The dishes are always dingy or smelly due to the lack of maintenance of the dishwasher and not because of an improperly functioning machine. In addition to being quiet and energy efficient, a well-maintained dishwasher makes the dishes spotless every time and this is the reward for the 30-minute investment made every month.

Conclusion

Knowing how to clean your dishwasher is one of those skills that returns far more value for your time than the time investment on a monthly basis. A proper cleaning with a clean filter, unclogged spray arm nozzles, cleaning of the door seal, vinegar run, and baking soda treatment deals with just about all of the issues a dishwasher can have without the need for repairs. In addition, for those that live in a hard water area, running a citric acid run once every three to six months will get rid of any mineral deposits that vinegar will not. Whether you use distilled white vinegar, Milliard Citric Acid, Affresh dishwasher cleaner tablets, Finish dishwasher cleaner, or Cascade Dishwasher Cleaner, what counts is the consistency of the process rather than the type of cleaner used. A dishwasher that is cleaned every month not only lasts longer but also stays free of the unpleasant sour smell that often appears when you open the door.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)