Unless you've been peacefully living under a rock, you've seen the commercials warning against dirty dishwashers. You stick your dirty dishes in there but when you go to put them back in the cabinets, they're still displaying some caked grime. If your dishwasher has seen some better, cleaner days then it might be time to give it the TLC it deserves. Don't worry, though! Gone are the days of wondering how to clean a dishwasher in the best way because we're about to break down the top ways to do it.
How To Clean A Dishwasher
There are a few different tactics that you can use when cleaning a dishwasher, but none of them take very much time or require any fancy cleaning supplies.
Clean Out The Drain
One of the first things that you should do is to remove the bottom rack from your dishwasher and check the drain. Just like how a kitchen drain can back up, the same goes for other appliances in the kitchen. Given that you're constantly sticking dishes in there that are covered with food particles, the drain is especially susceptible to getting clogged with grime or food remnants.
- Put on a pair of rubber gloves to protect your hands.
- Check the drain and remove any particles or blockage that you may find in there. You can also use an old toothbrush to really get into the crevices of your drain.
You may also run into some leftover food or mineral buildup on the bottom of the dishwasher once you remove the bottom rack. So, be sure that you wipe down any blockage that you may find there as well.
Use A Cup Of White Vinegar
When it comes to cleaning your appliances, nothing really gets the job done as well as vinegar does. Not to mention, as soon as you add a little bit of baking soda to the mix, the solution becomes an unstoppable force capable of tackling even the toughest of stains.
- Add a cup of white vinegar to a dishwasher-safe cup and place it on the top rack of your dishwasher.
- Run a hot-water cycle and let the vinegar do its work.
White vinegar is known to lift any gunk from your appliance while also helping to get rid of any odors that may have accumulated over the years.
Vinegar And Baking Soda Solution
As we said, baking soda and vinegar can be used for a whole slew of chores around the house, especially in the kitchen. This solution can lift stains from your granite and quartz countertops, it can help clean stainless steel, and it also helps get the grime out of your dishwasher. This method works pretty much the exact same way that the vinegar method does - the only big difference is that you'll be adding a cup of baking soda to the bottom of your dishwasher.
- Get a cup of baking soda and sprinkle it on the bottom of your dishwasher.
- Place a cup of white vinegar inside a dishwasher-safe cup. Place the cup in the top rack of the dishwasher.
- Run a hot-water cycle and let the dynamic duo do its worst.
Together these two will pull stains from your appliance but will also work together to get any unpleasant odors out.
These three methods are the top ways that you can give your dishwasher the cleaning treatment it deserves. You don't need to rush to the store for anything too out of the ordinary or specific cleaning solutions. You're more than capable of cleaning your appliances properly with things at home that are just as effective at a fraction of the cost!