7 Dishwasher Care Tips
Most people do not think about cleaning their dishwasher. After all, the appliance is used every day to clean your dishes. It's easy to assume that your dishwasher is cleaned at the same time that you wash your dishes, but the reality is that over time, food particles and other debris can accumulate. This buildup can cause the dishwasher to perform poorly and the dishes to become dirty and unsightly.
Cleaning and maintaining your dishwasher regularly can keep it running smoothly and give you spotless dishes every time you wash them.
1. Deodorizing
Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. If your dishwasher is creating a stink, sprinkle one-half cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on the bottom of the dishwasher and let sit overnight. Run the baking soda through the machine with your next load of dishes, which also helps clean both the inside of the machine and the dishes.
2. Dishwashing Soap
20 Mule Team Borax and Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda. To make your own automatic dishwashing soap, mix equal parts 20 Mule Team Borax and Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda to create an old-fashioned cleanser made from borax and sodium carbonate. (When working with washing soda, wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the caustic pH 11.)
3. Excess Suds
Bounce. If you use the wrong detergent or too much detergent in the dishwasher and it starts to overflow with suds, open the door and put in a sheet of Bounce to eliminate the excess suds. The antistatic elements in Bounce pop the bubbles.
4. Gasket
You can repair a torn dishwasher gasket (the rubber lining around the inside of the door) by simply filling the tear with DAP Caulk and allowing it to dry.
5. Glassware
Heinz White Vinegar. To prevent soapy film on glassware, place one cup Heinz White Vinegar on the bottom rack of your dishwasher, run for five minutes, then run though the full cycle. A cup of white vinegar run through the entire cycle once a month will also reduce soap scum on the inner workings.
6. Indicator
Post-it Notes. For an easy way to tell if dishes in the dishwasher are clean, stick a Post-it Note on the front of the dishwasher after turning it on. When the dishwasher stops, the Post-it Note will alert others that the dishes inside are clean.
7. Lime Deposits
Clorox Bleach and Heinz White Vinegar. Reduce lime buildup inside the dishwasher by pouring one cup Clorox Bleach into the empty dishwasher and running the machine through the first wash cycle. Let the machine drain, then add two cups Heinz White Vinegar and run the machine through the rinse cycle. Skip the dry cycle and instead run the dishwasher through an entire regular cycle using regular detergent.