The large appliances take away a lot of home cleaning efforts off your hands. One such appliance is the dishwasher and its job is to keep your dishes sparkling clean. But many times people wonder if they need to clean the dishwasher. Remember the dishwasher also needs maintenance periodically. Over time, a lot of food residue gunk up the drains of the dishwasher along with the spray arms. These clogs decrease the quantity of water circulating at the time of a wash and rinse cycles. It results in a film of soap and baked food developing in the dishwasher. If you use unfiltered well water, minerals get deposited in the dishwasher and this results in further reduction of water flow. Here are the steps for cleaning the dishwasher.
1. Take it apart: First items that will need your attention in case of a dishwasher are the removable items. These pieces include utensils and rack holders. When these items are clean you may spray them with a water and vinegar solution and later rinse them under warm water. But many times they have a lot of caked-on food collected on them. In such an event you can fill the kitchen sink with dish soap and hot water. Allow it to soak for half an hour. Then scrub off the utensil holder and racks. Ensure that you are rinsing them well and then wiping them off by using a towel.
2. Clean the drain: Find the drain at the bottom of the basin. It is hiding behind the spray arm many times. You can use rubber gloves or paper towels and get rid of the food items blocking the drain. Sometimes there is a removable screen present around the dishwasher drain. You can take it out and wash it as well.
3. Wash away all the buildup: You may run a hot-water cycle in the empty dishwasher by using either a single cup of vinegar in the container on the top rack, with a half cup of citric acid crystals from the detergent reservoir. These are available with the canning supplies. Or, you may use a cycle of dishwasher cleaner. You need to look for near detergents as they work to dissolve all the mineral and food build-up in the drain and spray arms. If the dishwasher has never been cleaned you can repeat the process several times.
4. Wipe off the rubber gasket: There is a rubber seal around the dishwasher door that can get gunked up with mildew and mold. You can wipe it clean by using soap and hot cloth. You can use Skip bleach if the interior is susceptible to corrosion.
Cleaning ingredients
You can use some easily available cleaning ingredients for the cleaning of the dishwasher from the inside. These ingredients include baking soda and vinegar, or bleach. For using the former get hold of a small dishwasher safe dish and use white vinegar to fill it. You can run this machine on the settings with high-heat temperatures.
Keep away the part where the dishes are dried. It is not required and it will also save on the energy bill. After it is finished open the dishwasher door and allow everything to dry. Repeat the process but now with a small quantity of baking soda at the bottom of the dishwasher. You will need around a cup of baking soda. After a cycle is completed open the door of the dishwasher to let it dry in the air.
If you find that the dishwasher is still emitting an odor after your efforts you need to take the next step and that is calling the home cleaning professionals. The next part of the process involves the removal of the air filter and cleaning especially in the case of older models. If you live in the Clearwater, FL area you can call the experienced services of the Cleaning Service Clearwater Company for home cleaning and other consultation.
Picture Credit: Pexels