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How to clean a dishwasher in 5 simple steps
Looking for advice on how to clean a dishwasher? As one of the most-used kitchen appliances, maintaining dishwasher cleanliness will ensure it runs efficiently whilst removing a build-up of grease, grime, soap scum, and food debris.
'Your kitchen is the hub of the home and keeping it clean and tidy may seem like a mammoth task, but it's an important one,' says Susan Fermor, a spokesperson from cleaning and laundry expert, Dr. Beckmann. 'Keeping your electrical appliances clean, such as your dishwasher, is often something people forget to do.'
How to clean a dishwasher
How often you clean your dishwasher will simply depend on how often you use it. If you run a load every day, experts recommend that you clean your dishwasher's filter and drain once a month. Simply unscrew the cylindrical filter and rinse off food bits collecting at the bottom. This will help to prevent any odours and bits of old food swilling around your dishwasher during each cycle.
A quick rinse using vinegar and baking soda can be done every few weeks to keep it working well, while a deep clean can be done every six months.
Before you begin to clean a dishwasher, useful things to have include:
Antibacterial spray
Dishwasher salt
Rinse Aid
A few clean cloths
Paper towels
An old toothbrush (great for getting into those hard-to-reach areas!)
Follow the simple steps below on how to clean a dishwasher...
Step 1: Remove any food
Food can clog up the dishwasher filter, leading to foul odours. If your dishwasher drain is filled with food particles, it won't work or clean plates efficiently.
Before you begin, open your dishwasher and pull out the bottom rack to see if any leftover food has fallen. Using a paper towel, remove any large pieces and place them in the bin. You should get into the habit of removing food every few days.
'It's very important to keep on top of cleaning your dishwasher and to make sure you're doing it in the right way,' says Vicky Bennion, white goods expert at Currys PC World. 'A little bit of TLC will ensure it's cleaning at its optimum, while also extending overall product life.'
Step 2: Clean the filter
Dishwasher filters prevent small bits of food from landing on your newly-cleaned dishes. Some filters are self-cleaning, but most will generally need to be cleaned manually using a soft brush and dish soap. Depending on how often you use your dishwasher, the filter should be cleaned at least every one to three months. Some manufacturers recommend more (even suggesting every two or three weeks), so check your manual first.
'It is very important to remember that if the filter of your dishwasher is not clean, then nothing that you put inside of it will be either,' says Andrea Philips from Airtasker. 'This means it is vitally important to know how to clean a dishwasher filter because if you don't, you'll see annoying little spots of grime on all future loads, and that will become very frustrating.'
Start by unlocking the filter section, which is often found below the bottom spray arm, and remove the filter itself. Once you have it out simply rinse the filter under hot running water and scrub the mesh screen with something soft like an old toothbrush. Then, rinse well and place it back.
Step 3: Clean the dishwasher spray arms
Dishwasher spray arms shoot streams of hot water directly onto your dishes. If not cleaned regularly, they too can become clogged and dirty. Ideally, you should check the spray arms for blockages every six months.
'Take them out and wipe them with a soft cloth dipped in soapy water or white vinegar,' says a spokesperson from Fantastic Services. 'If they're very stained, you can leave them soaking for 15 minutes. Grab the toothbrush and scrub the spray holes to remove any stuck-on food particles. Rinse and place them back.'
Step 4: Rinse with hot water
Do you have a smelly dishwasher? Now that every part is clean, it's time to fill a dishwasher-safe cup with white vinegar and place it on the top rack. Once you have done this, run a full cycle on the hottest setting.
Fantastic Services explain how you can get it smelling sweet again: 'If you want to deodorise the appliance, sprinkle baking soda on the bottom around the drain and run a short cycle with the hottest setting.'
Alternatively, you can also rinse your dishwasher using a lemon-scented cleaner, such as the Finish Dishwasher Cleaner, which is brilliant for eliminating grease and limescale.
Step 5: Wipe down your dishwasher
Once the inside is clean, it's time to wipe down the exterior using a white vinegar and water solution. Focus on cleaning door seals (scrub them with a toothbrush if you need), then use a dry cloth to wipe away any water.
'Gently clean around the rubber door seal as this area often collects a build-up, again a damp cloth and some spray should do the trick,' adds Vicky.
Once you've completed all the cleaning steps, run a final hot water cycle with nothing in the dishwasher. This will rinse away any remaining vinegar, baking soda, or debris.
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