How to clean a dishwasherYou’re probably reading the headline of this article thinking, “don’t dishwashers clean themselves when they clean the dishes?” Sadly, much like how a shower collects grime over time, they don’t. Food particles and other general gunk cake the walls and door of a dishwasher with time, and if your machine is really dirty, it can create terrible smells and slow down, or impede, the washing process. In order to keep your dishwasher running well and smelling pleasant, we recommend washing it at least once a month, or when funky smells first begin to creep in. It’s easy, and like the aforementioned buildup, it takes virtually no time at all.

Required materials

A washcloth or sponge
Dish soap
2 cups of white vinegar
A dishwasher-safe cup
1 or 2 cups of lemon juice

Step 1 — Empty the dishwasher and remove attachments

First off, there can’t be any dishes in the racks or else your dishwasher will clean the dishes and not the actual dishwasher. That said, take out anything you can easily remove, such as the blades at the bottom or the silverware rack. Rinse the gunk off any attachments before returning them to the dishwasher. Try not think about what that gunk might be — just close your eyes and get it done.

Step 2 — Check the filter and wipe down the door

baloon111/123rf

If your dishwasher has a filter at the bottom, reach down and see if anything big has gotten stuck, such as a container or a spoon. This is really important because if anything is blocking the drain, you’ll be left with standing, dirty water and a bigger mess than the one you started with. Once done, use a cloth and some dish soap and clean the edge and outside of the door, along with wherever else the water doesn’t reach when the machine is on.