Vinegar can become one of your best allies when cleaning any kitchen device and the dishwasher is one of the most benefited by it.
In a previous article we discussed about cleaning the dishwasher —our main conclusions being that yes, it is a thing that we have to do, and no, the dishwashers does not really wash itself.
Make sure to have 1 cup of white vinegar, 1 cup of baking soda and warm, soapy water.
First Step: The Filter
We’re heading directly to the dirtiest parts: the filter and filter tray. Unscrew the filter and filter tray from the bottom of your dishwasher. Take a bowl of warm, soapy water and submerge the items in it. It’s absolutely not recommended to scrub the filter with a sponge. Let the items submerged for about ten minutes, rinse, and replace to their original place.
Second Step: The Vinegar
Measure 1 cup of white vinegar, and pour it over the bottom of the dishwasher. Then, run the heavy cleaning cycle on your dishwasher (it has to be empty).
Third Step: Baking Soda for the Odors
Sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda on the bottom of your dishwasher, and allow it to sit for 6 hours. Then, run an empty cycle.
Extra Tips:
As Christmas is only a few days away, we know that nobody wants to spend their holidays washing dishes. That’s why we offer the following extra tips in order to have a clean and optimal dishwasher that does the job for you:
- Before starting the cycle, turn on the faucet and run until the water is hot.
- Clean the dishwasher filter periodically —with vinegar, as explained before.
- Clean the dishwasher seals, which are the rubber gasket in the door and the soap door. Make sure to give them a once-over with a damp towel to keep the grime down.
- Scrape off food bits and crumbs before loading up.
- The dishwasher has to be full, not overcrowd. It’s better to wash a few pieces by hand than it is to rerun an entire load because things were too tightly packed.
- Use the correct cycle depending of the state of your dishes, i.e. when the dishes are harder to clean, use the heavy cycle.
There’s no need to invest a large amount of time cleaning your dishwasher and maintaining it in ideal conditions. Every solution is very simple, remember that your goal is that all the dishes are grime-free and have a fresh smell. Have you found other practices for keeping your dishwasher running well?
