Dishes not getting as clean as you’d wish they’d be? Dishwasher smelling a little funny after each wash? Gunk inside your washer that’s grossing you out? Believe us, we’ve all been there! But don’t let some gunk put you in a funk! Let us show you some simple tips on how you can clean your dishwasher and how to keep it clean for as long as possible!

Before we clean...

Common questions that many people ask when considering how to clean a dishwasher are, “Can I clean my dishwasher with vinegar?”, “How do I clean my dishwasher filter?” or even, “Can you clean the inside of a dishwasher?”. There are simple answers to each of these questions is they only require a little bit of research to solve – namely, looking in your dishwasher and figuring out what you’re working with!

It's important to remember that your dishwasher is literally a metal/plastic box that sprays water all over your dishes before eventually drying them. This means that over time, your dishwasher is going to get a little bit gross. That is, if you don’t clean it and give it the care it deserves for doing all that hard work! It’s also important to make sure your dishwasher's parts and components are clean and in working order, so make sure to check out our OEM dishwater parts so your dishwasher is always running as efficiently as possible! With this guide, we want to show you how to clean your dishwasher from top to bottom and get the best clean for your dishes’ and nose’s sake!

Before we journey through the guide of How to Clean a Dishwasher, here is a list of important tools to have when your dishwasher, so you don’t go into this blindly!

In no particular order:

• Toothbrush
• 1:1 Mixture of distilled white vinegar (preferred over other vinegars because it doesn’t contain a coloring agent) and warm water
• Rubber gloves (gunk is gross!)
• Baking soda
• Dishwasher-specific cleaner (depends on the material on the outside of your washer) or home-made cleaner made of vinegar, water, and soap
• (Optional) Toothpick
• (Optional) Spray bottle

Step 1: How to start cleaning your dishwasher!

One of the most important steps to initiating any sort of dishwasher cleaning is to take out the necessities – dishwasher racks, utensil holders, and the oh-so important filter at the bottom of your washer. You’ll want to scrub/wipe down each of these items with the water and vinegar, but with the filter be sure to leave it in a cup to bask and really soak. Speaking of, if your filter has truly gone off the deep end and is looking less like a filter and more like a garbage can, it might be time to replace it! We'd bet you can find almost any OEM filter in Fix.com's dishwasher filter section!

Step 2: Clean the crevices!

Those smaller, harder to reach areas where the gunk loves to hang out are really important to clean – which is why it’s essential that you at least have a toothbrush for this step, but a toothpick really helps. But for this step, you’ll want to use a combination of your 1:1 water/vinegar mix (which might be useful in a spray bottle) to really break-down any gunk that doesn’t come off easily. This is arguably one of the most important steps when cleaning your dishwasher, so here you’ll want to use your toothbrush/toothpick to get at all the nasty stuff in the corners and crevices, because sometimes those spots can be the smelliest.

Step 3: Wipe it down!

Now you don’t necessarily need to use the vinegar/water combo here, but it is recommended that you have it to wipe down the spray arms and walls within your dishwasher. Use a material-specific cleaner (depending on your washer) and clean the outside surface of your dishwasher with soap and water to really put the cherry on top of this cleaning job.

Step 4: Turn it up!

This is more-so a step to take if you haven’t done this in a while – but it’s important all the same! Cleaning your dishwasher with 1 cup of white vinegar placed in a bowl at the bottom of your dishwasher helps to get at any excess residue, grime, grease and excess food debris that might be lurking in your washer. Be sure to run your dishwasher on high temperature as well to get the most of out the clean!

Step 5: Turn it up... again!

Repeat the last step, but this time around you’ll want to sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda at the bottom of your dishwasher and reduce the wash cycle time ever slightly. Baking soda will help the smell and overall look of the interior of your washer. It’s also recommended that after each wash, you should clean any excess food debris to reduce the potential work you’ll have to do in the future!

Dishwasher Cleaning FAQ's!

How often should I clean my dishwasher?

We recommend you use this method of cleaning at least once every 1-2 months for best results!

How do I get my dishwasher as clean as possible?

It's important to remember that your dishwasher is operating between 120-150 degrees Fahrenheit, because any temperature lower than that can be an early indicator as to why your dishes are not being cleaned properly. For any repair help with your dishwasher, consult our repair center.

That's all, folks!

Just like that, you're a dishwasher cleaning pro, and your dishes and nostrils will thank you later! Make sure to check out our huge range of dishwasher parts if you realize something in your washer-box is out of commission!