Most
of us don't think about cleaning the dishwasher very often. After all, if the
dishes are getting cleaner, shouldn't the dishwasher get cleaner, too?
Unfortunately, debris and deposits do build up over time, and some of them
reduce the performance of the dishwasher. Fortunately, dishwashers don't need
cleaning very often and it's not hard to clean them. Here's how:
Steps:
1. Use your dishwasher
regularly.
It will help to prevent food and other debris from
building up in there, reducing the need to clean it.
2. Run the dishwasher or
wait until just after you've run it, then empty the dishwasher completely.
Do the other steps with the dishwasher empty.
3. Check all the spinning
arms.Look to make sure all the holes are open so that water can
run through them freely. The hole in this photo has accumulated some debris.
4. Clear any debris out
of the holes in spinning arms.Use fine pointed or needle-nose
pliers if you have some. Otherwise, try a toothpick or something similar. Take
care not to scratch anything if you're using a tool with a metal point. If these
holes are very small, bend a fine wire with a tiny hook on one end. Thread the
wire through the opening most distal from the center of the arm. Each time you
do this a small amount of debris will come out. This is time consuming. Another
option is to drill a much larger hole at the end of the arm. Run the washer to
eject the matter, then plug the bigger hole with a stainless steel screw.
5. Wipe around the edges
of the door and around the gasket.This space doesn't get washed
during the dishwasher cycle. Use a damp cloth and, if you like, a bit of mild
spray cleaner. An old toothbrush or other soft, household brush can help get
into corners and up under the gasket.
6. Clean under the bottom
of the door.In some dishwashers, this is a dead spot where water
doesn't go, so it can accumulate debris. Wipe this off.
7. Inspect the bottom of
your dishwasher around the drain.
There will be a grate or grill
around it, under the arm. This is where wastewater goes. Look for debris
clogging up this area. You shouldn't have to clean this often if you're careful
about what you put in your dishwasher, but you should remove any solid matter
that builds up, especially bits of paper, shards of broken dishes, gravel, etc.
You may be able to pick up solid objects accumulated on the outside by hand. If
you think stuff has gotten down inside, you'll have to do some simple
disassembly to get at it. Start by unplugging. These outlets have been labeled
to reduce confusion.
8. Remove hard water
deposits or scale, if needed.Run one cycle of your dishwasher
empty, with a mild, food acid of your choice. Do this after you've done the
other cleaning steps here, so that it will also take care of anything your
cleaning missed or knocked loose. A "light" or short cycle is usually
sufficient. Place powders into the detergent cup. Place liquids in a
right-side-up cup or bowl in the top rack. Use whichever of the following is on
hand or inexpensive:
:: Lemonade drink mix or lemon-flavored Kool-Aid mix. Don't use strong colors
that might stain. There is no need to add the sugar.
:: Tang (powdered)
::
Lemon juice
:: Distilled white vinegar
:: A dishwasher cleaning
product
9. Remove mildew or mold
with bleach. Run a separate cycle from any acid cleaners you
have used and never mix bleach with other cleaners or with dishwasher detergent.
- If mold and mildew is a problem, leave the dishwasher loosely open for a
while after each cycle to allow it to dry out.
- Avoid using bleach and
detergents containing bleach if your dishwasher has a stainless steel interior
or door.
- Bleach is a very strong chemical, both on you and on your
dishwasher, so use it sparingly and only when necessary.
10. Tackle rust stains.
- Use a dishwasher-safe rust remover [2] for the stains
themselves, but ask how they got there in the first place.
- If the finish
is chipping or flaking off the wire baskets in your dishwasher, try a paint-on
sealant made just for dishwasher racks. Pull out the racks and check the
bottoms, too. If the damage is severe or widespread (not just a few tines but
all of them), see if you can replace the entire rack. Online stores sell a wide
variety of appliance parts, so your replacement part may be very easy to
find.
- If your water has a lot of iron or rust in it, rust may be beyond
your control. If possible, address the problem at its source. If the problem
isn't rusty pipes, water softeners can remove a limited amount of iron from
water but they mostly work by exchanging minerals that are hard to clean off
surfaces for salts that are relatively easy to clean. Filters do exist to remove
iron from water and might be worth looking into if your water is extremely high
in iron.
11. Spray the front of
your dishwasher with a mild spray cleaner of your choice and wipe it with a
sponge or soft cloth.Pay particular attention to the controls
and the handle. Also, don't miss the little ledge between panels. It tends to
collect dirt.
12. Refill your
dishwasher's rinse aid dispenser about once per month.Rinse aid
helps to prevent spots on your dishes. Unscrew the round knob in the dishwasher
door and pour in rinse aid according to package directions or your dishwasher's
manual. Depending upon your specific water chemistry, you may be able to
substitute white vinegar for a "rinse aid." Experiment and see if this is right
for your dishwasher.
:: Don't use rinse aid if you have a water softener[4].
:: Solid rinse
aids are available. If you forget to refill liquid rinse aid, the solid ones are
more visible, so they may help you remember.
:: If you prefer, some
dishwasher detergents now have built-in rinse aid.
13. Clean the flatware
basket with a brush if there is any accumulated debris.Liquid
dish soap will help.
From the Appliance Zone Repair Forum
