How recently did you clean your dishwasher? You may not have ever thought to clean the dishwashing machine. After all, doesn’t it automatically clean itself?
In actuality, running the dishwasher will not give it the deep clean necessary to get rid of accumulated food particles, oil, and undissolved detergent—not even when the chamber is empty. This causes an unkempt accumulation and an odorous dishwasher, but the sludge can also make your dishes look really unpleasant!
Think about if your dishwasher needs a good clean before you fill it. Check out this article on how to clean your dishwasher with things you already have in your house if you feel like it needs some TLC.
How to Use Baking Soda and Vinegar to Deep Clean Your Dishwasher
The good news is that your dishwasher does all the labor-intensive work for you when you deep clean it. You can have a clean dishwasher at the touch of a button by utilizing the proper cleaning solutions, saving you time from having to spend bending over the machine scrubbing away. Plus, you can utilize something that’s already in your pantry!
While baking soda gets rid of any bad smells and leaves your dishwasher feeling fresh and clean, vinegar works to break down grease and filth. If you follow this easy cleaning method once a month, you’ll see significant improvements.
This is What You’ll Require:
- Glass measuring cup with two cups capacity
- Two cups of vinegar, either apple cider or white
- One cup of baking soda
- toothbrush (not required)
Guidelines
Before doing a full cleaning, make sure your dishwasher is entirely empty.
Put two cups of vinegar in a glass measuring cup and set it on the top rack of your dishwasher.
Use a standard cycle without any dishwashing or detergent.
After the cycle is finished, take out the bottom rack and the measuring cup. Distribute the baking soda evenly around the dishwasher’s bottom.
Do a quick hot-water cycle without using any dishwashing soap. Apply a toothbrush to any stains that are difficult to remove. Now your dishwasher ought to be clean and smell great!
How Frequently Should Your Dishwasher Be Cleaned?
You don’t have to deep clean your dishwasher every day or even every week, but there are some routine maintenance actions you can do to minimize buildup.
Following Each Usage
Make it a practice to clear any leftover food particles from the dishwashing cycle after each use. Take out the bottom rack to see whether there are any leftovers in the silverware basket or well. Using a paper towel, take it out. By doing this, odor and ugly buildup will be avoided.
Weekly Deep cleanings are not nearly as vital as weekly maintenance for your dishwasher. Do the following once a week:
Using a moist sponge or dish towel, remove any residue from the dishwasher controls, the door handle, and the internal door.
Every week, take away the lower dish rack to reveal the filter located at the base of the bottom spray arm. To get rid of any residue, rinse it under hot water and scrape the plastic and mesh screen with a toothbrush. Relock it into place once it appears brand-new. To prevent stains and film on your plates, repeat this procedure once a week.
Use a stainless steel cleanser (I use Weiman Stainless Steel Wipes) to polish the external door of stainless steel dishwashers as needed to get rid of stains and fingerprints.
Every month
Even though these measures will aid in preventing excess build-up, a once-monthly deep clean is still required to get rid of residue from difficult-to-reach areas.