Dishwasher is an important part of your kitchen and you ignore it quite well. It helps to clean our dirty dishes and make them like the new one. It is important to clean a dishwasher regularly. The reason for this is that the food particles and oils present on the dishes are trapped inside the dishwasher. These particles later on attract roaches, flies and become a major source of bacteria. When you don’t clean a dishwasher, these bacteria get onto the dishes. Read the article, to learn the methods to clean a dishwasher.
Methods to Clean a Dishwasher
1.) Deep Clean to Clean a Dishwasher
Steps to Follow:
- Dismantled your dishwasher into separate parts to clean a dishwasher.
- Fill your sink with some water and add three cups of vinegar.
- In this sink only, your dishwasher dismantled parts are going to be soaked.
- Clean around the base and walls of the dishwasher.
- If you don’t have vinegar, then you can also use:
- Dishwasher cleaning liquid.
- Lemon juice
- The shelves of the dishwasher should be detached, along with the utensil container and any other part that is not the part of the racks.
- Place them into your sink having vinegar solution for cleaning, if they are small enough. If they don’t fit in the sink, then clean them with a cloth having vinegar solution.
- Remove the food stuck on the dishwasher; using a small tool or toothpick.
- Check that all the holes are open, so that the water can drain through them easily.
- If you see that holes are blocked clean them in order for your dishwasher to run efficiently.
- Take the help of pointed stick or needle pliers to open the blockage if you have some.
- Take care not to scrape any part if you’re applying a metal point tool. Remember to take your time and be attentive.
- If the holes are too small, turn a fine wire with a small hook at one end. Pass the wire through the holes to open the entire blockage.
- Each time you perform this task, some amount of scum will come out.
- The other way is to drill a big hole at the end of the dishwasher.
- Run the washer to expel the waste, and then close the hole you made with a stainless steel bolt.
- Clean around the lining and around the edges of the door. This space is most of the time missed during the dishwasher cycle.
- Take a soft cloth and the vinegar liquid to clean the door. An old brush or toothbrush can help to reach the corners and clean below the lining.
- Don’t forget to clean below the bottom of the door as it is a dead spot where the water doesn’t reach, so it can collect debris.
- Clean this off with the help of vinegar cloth. If anything is trapped in, use your brush to remove it.
- Take acid cleaners, you have used earlier and never add bleach in it.
- Bleach is quite a strong chemical that can cause harm to you as well as your dishwasher.
- If you see mold and mildew, leave the dishwasher open for some time after each wash cycle to let it dry.
- Don’t use bleach and soap containing detergent if your dishwasher has a steel door or interior.
- If the water in your house has a lot of iron in it, then this is a serious problem. If possible, handle the problem at its cause.
- Check for the rust in water pipes and handle it if there is any rust.
- Water softeners can eliminate a good amount of iron from water.
- Filters also helps to remove iron particles from water and are quite helpful, if your water is really high in iron.
- Use rust remover of good quality for the stains, but read the directions to check how to apply it.
- Take out the racks and inspect the bottoms. If the damage is quite high, try to replace the whole rack.
- Once the filter, grate, doors, arms, and all the racks have been cleaned thoroughly.
- Place them back in the dishwasher as earlier.
2.) Proper Maintenance to Clean a Dishwasher
Steps to Follow:
- Use your dishwasher on the regular basis. It will help to stop the food and other residue from accumulating up.
- Use a bit of boiling water in your sink. If your water is hot the dishes will get cleaned better. You can collect the water and use it for other purposes and watering plants.
- Water that is cooler won’t be very operational for cleaning. Water that is hotter is always helpful but uses it carefully.
- The dishwasher drains all debris into the same pipe as your sink. If you’re facing any kind of problems with your dishwasher, then it is because of your garbage that is not draining properly.
- Pour three cups of raw vinegar in the bottom rack of your dishwasher.
- Run it at the lowest cycle to save energy. Stop the dishwasher before completing the cycle and let the vinegar to absorb on the bottom for a few minutes.
- Turn on the dishwasher again and complete the full cycle.
- Add one cup of baking soda with vinegar to lower down the smell released by the vinegar alone.
- Spray mild spray cleaner in the front of your dishwasher. Clean it down with a paper towel or sponge.
- Pay special attention to the knobs and controls. Don’t forget to clean the edges between panels as they usually collect dirt.
- Fill-up your dishwasher rinse dispenser every month. This will help you to avoid spots to form on your dishes. Open the round knob present in the dishwasher door and drop the rinse liquid according to directions on the package.
- Don’t go for rinse liquid if you are using a water softener.
- Solid rinse is easily available in the stores. If you forget to add liquid rinse, the solid ones are there to help you.
- You can also buy dishwasher that have in-built dishwasher detergents.
