I’m a cleaning expert – the 5 spots you’re missing when cleaning your dishwasher and why you need to scrub them

OWNING a dishwasher is supposed to make life easier, but the machines require maintenance to work properly – and to keep from stinking up your kitchen. If your kitchen smells like stale dishwater or your glasses always come out spotty, it might be a sign you need to clean the dishwasher more often. According to […]

OWNING a dishwasher is supposed to make life easier, but the machines require maintenance to work properly – and to keep from stinking up your kitchen.

If your kitchen smells like stale dishwater or your glasses always come out spotty, it might be a sign you need to clean the dishwasher more often.

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Keep your dishwasher clean by giving it an intensive wash every week[/caption]

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The utensil basket, sprayer arms and filter in your dishwasher need attention too[/caption]

According to appliance expert Pang-Chieh Ho at Consumer Reports, you need to clean your dishwasher once a week, though you can get away with cleaning it twice per month if you use it infrequently.

Regardless of how often you clean the dishwasher, Ho says you should hit all five of these spots every time to maximize cleanliness.

FILTER

If you own an older dishwasher, it may not have a filter, since some models feature a grinder that pulverizes food before rinsing it away.

However, newer models are gaining popularity since they’re much quieter. Many consumers don’t realize the filter requires manual cleaning.

When you remove the filter from your dishwasher, you can dump any large food particles directly in the trash.

If there are smaller food particles embedded in the filter, like coffee grounds or chia seeds, you can run a cycle to clean the inside of your dishwasher while you scrub the filter.

The best way to free your filter of tiny particles and keep it working is to use soap and a scrub brush or toothbrush.

SPRAY ARMS

You should keep the toothbrush handy for cleaning gunk off the spray arms, which can become coated with food particles as water recirculates through the dishwasher.

If you’ve ever noticed splatters on your bowls and plates after running a dishwasher cycle, its spray arms may be clogged or even coated with food that’s being sprayed back onto your clean dishes.

You can remove the spray arms from the base by pulling them up gently. 

Rinse the arms off in the sink, and if you see any food coating the arm, take the toothbrush and scrub away.

 If you can see clogs in the arms’ holes, use a toothpick to push debris out then rinse again.

UTENSIL HOLDER

Your utensils sit in a tray, cage, or basket during the wash cycle to keep them in place, but it’s easy for bits of food to collect in the corners.

Remove the tray from its place and run it under very hot water to shake loose any stray food debris.

You don’t need to scrub the utensil holder if there aren’t visible stains. Wiping it down with a sponge or wet cloth should do the trick.

INTERIOR WALLS AND BASE

Cleaning the interior of your dishwasher is the easiest step: to start, run a hot cycle with no detergent.

Then, use vinegar or a citric acid-based dishwasher cleaner to get rid of buildup. 

Most dishwasher-specific cleaners will also have a lemon scent that makes your kitchen smell lovely.

If there’s any food residue at the bottom of the dishwasher after running the cleaning cycle, wipe it away with a cloth or sponge.

DOOR SEAL

After scrubbing your filter, running a hot cycle with lemon-fresh cleaner, and returning the spray arms and utensil basket to the dishwasher, it may still have a bad smell.

If that’s the case, the problem may not be inside your dishwasher at all.

Wipe down the seal between the door and the interior of the dishwasher, and make sure there’s no water buildup at the point where the tub and door hinge together.

It’s easy to neglect the thin strip of rubber that creates the seal, but it’s a perfect breeding ground for mold and bacteria.

Once it’s time to do your dishes again, make sure you’re cleaning glasses, pans, and trays in the right order.

You’ll have plenty of time to clean your dishwasher thanks to this trick which means you never need to dust the tops of your cabinets again.

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Wiping down the seal between the door and the dishwasher prevents mold and odor[/caption]