How Often Should You Clean Your Dishwasher?
We eat anywhere between 3 to 6 meals a day, and when you add other household members to the picture, that’s a lot of dishes piling up!
You can spend a ghastly amount of time washing dishes yourself, or you can just dump them in the dishwasher so it takes care of the job for you. But this machine does get buildup, so you’ll need to wash it out.
But how often do you need to clean your dishwasher? Read on to find out!
How Often to Clean Your Dishwasher
There isn’t a simple answer here, as cleaning a commercial dishwasher is different than cleaning a household one. However, for the purposes of this article, we’ll assume you have a regular residential dishwasher that takes care of an average family’s dishes.
In this case, you should aim to clean your dishwasher every month. However, if you feel like there’s lots of buildup and/or it’s getting smelly, go ahead and bump up the frequency to keep it clean and fresh!
How to Clean Your Dishwasher
You now know how often to clean your dishwasher. But how exactly do you go about it anyway?
What You Need
Forget about heavy-duty chemicals. This appliance cleans your dishes after all, and you want to make sure you’re not ingesting anything harmful.
Instead, rely on good old vinegar and baking soda!
Cleaning Your Dishwasher
Get a bowl and pour 2 cups of white vinegar in. Place the bowl on the top dishwasher rack and then run a full cycle. Make sure your dishwasher uses the hot water setting for maximum effectiveness.
Once the cycle’s done, sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda all over the bottom. Run your dishwasher again, but only on a half-cycle, but still on the hot water setting.
Afterward, not only should your dishwasher be clean, but also odorless! Just make sure you leave the door open for a few hours to let it completely air-dry.
Cleaning the Strainer
Remove any debris that might be in the dishwasher strainer. When that’s clear, then use a soft-bristled brush to scrub it clean.
If your dishwasher rack still looks grody after running the cycles from above, you might want to make a baking soda paste to put all over it. Just mix it with a little bit of water, and then apply with a toothbrush.
Let it sit for a few hours, and then scrub at it with the soft-bristled brush. This should leave it looking like new!
Keep Your Dishwasher Spotless
Generally speaking, you’ll want to clean your dishwasher every month. But feel free to increase/decrease the frequency based on your individual usage.
By following our tips for cleaning your dishwasher, you’ll be able to have a spotless appliance. And as a result, you’ll prolong its lifespan and keep your dishes germ-free!
Want more info like these dishwasher cleaning tips? Then find more housecleaning advice by browsing our blog!
