How to Clean a Dishwasher
Dishwashers can be life-savers. They save you time and energy, and they leave your dishes looking squeaky clean. After consistent use, however, the gunk and buildup from dishes can leave a foul smell in your dishwasher, or the residue can build-up inside and leave bacteria lingering throughout crevices. Below we share some useful tips and methods with ingredients you likely already have at home to help you clean your dishwasher.
What You’ll Need
- 2 cups HEINZ Distilled White Vinegar, divided
- 1 cup baking soda
- Toothbrush, toothpick or wooden skewer
- Cleaning cloth
Instructions
- Remove all the racks, utensil holders and filters. Some filters simply twist off, but others will require tools to unscrew them. Use a cloth soaked in a mixture of 2 cups warm water and 1 cup HEINZ Distilled White Vinegar to remove visible residue.
- Remove any visible food particles or grease residue from the inside of the dishwasher with a warm cloth. You might need a toothbrush or a toothpick/wooden skewer to get into some of the hard to reach places, like around the water spray arms.
- Fill a dishwasher-safe bowl with another cup of HEINZ Distilled White Vinegar and place it on the bottom of the empty dishwasher. Set the dishwasher to run on a hot water cycle. The vinegar will break down any remaining bits of food, grease, soap scum, residue and any other leftover grime.
- When the first cycle ends, remove the bowl and sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda along the bottom of the dishwasher. Run it on a short cycle. The baking soda will remove stains and freshen the dishwasher.
Once the dishwasher is clean, you’ll find it’s actually more effective. With all the residue gone, soap and water can spray through the appliance at full strength—leaving you with cleaner dishes. In fact, any time your dishes start to come out of the dishwasher with food residue on them, it's a sign that your dishwasher probably needs a deep clean. Try to deep clean the inside of the dishwasher once every six months to keep it running optimally.
Be sure to explore other important kitchen tips, like how to clean a coffee maker, how to clean your oven and more.
