How to Clean and Maintain Your Dishwasher
/Since a dishwasher’s job is to clean your daily-used place settings, most people don’t think to clean their dishwasher regularly. It is easy to assume your dishwasher will get cleaned alongside your dishes, but the reality is food, debris, and other deposits can easily build up over time. This can lead to underperformance and clogged drains, giving you a hassle of a cleaning experience in the long run.
It is important to regularly clean and maintain your dishwasher so that it can keep running smoothly and provide sparkling-clean dishes after every wash. Dishwashers are a mighty appliance, but they definitely aren’t maintenance-free. The Appliance Educator has a few easy-to-follow tips that will ensure your dishwasher is performing as its highest capacity.
1. Every time you run your dishwasher, consider doing these two steps…
Check the disposal to ensure it is clear. This is usually connected to the dishwasher, so any leftover food particles could affect the efficiency.
Clear the dishwasher’s drain of food debris and composites. When you unload your dishwasher, check to see if anything settled there and remove it so it doesn’t clog the drain.
2. Run an Empty Load
Once a week—or even every few weeks—run the dishwasher on the lowest setting without any dishes inside. The hot water and sprayers should help remove any excess particles that have built up. If the dishwasher needs a little extra help, adding white vinegar will definitely do the trick. All you need to do is fill a dishwasher-safe cup with two-thirds white vinegar, place it on the top rack, and run the dishwasher on a normal cycle with hot water. The vinegar will loosen scum, composites, food particles, and grease from the container and racks.
3. Clean the Edges and Exterior
Sometimes a smelly dishwasher can be from the outside areas of the appliance. The edges around the door and the exterior do not get washed during a normal cycle, so wiping these areas down every few weeks is critical for keeping your dishwasher in tip-top shape. Just take a bit of household cleaner and a damp cloth and wipe up any missed areas where food can potentially build up. Depending on the exterior, you may need to use a stainless steel cleaner or non-abrasive materials to clean the outside panel.
It doesn’t take much to maintain a quality dishwasher, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t necessary. Your dishwasher does so much for you and your kitchen, so remembering to give it a clean will help keep its high performance. Do right to your dishwasher, and it will continue to do right by you with these easy steps.
Need more information on dishwashers? Check out our other blogs on dishwashers here.
You can also view our How to Install a Dishwasher YouTube Playlist here, or you can view a few of our videos below!
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