Extend the life of your dishwasher!

When was the last time you cleaned your dishwasher? If your first thought is “never – it’s my dishwasher that does the cleaning” this guide is for you. Dishwashers work hard and are used by most families several times a week (if not every single day) to clean their dirty dishes, pots, and pans.

But if dishwashers have soap and water sloshing around inside them, why the need to do more cleaning? Food debris and gunk buildup are the culprits here – the nasty stuff that sticks around after the dishwasher has completed its cycle. In the short term, debris and soap buildup are relatively harmless but, if ignored, can cause your dishwasher to be less effective over time.

You want your dishwasher to provide spotlessly clean dishes every time, and this can only happen by applying a little love and elbow grease to it a few times a year. Below are our top tips for cleaning your dishwasher and keeping it running for years to come.

  1. Run it regularly. One of the best ways to prevent buildup is to use your dishwasher on a regular basis. This will prevent food debris from settling and hardening and will prevent too much buildup of soap residue over time. Using the dishwasher on a regular basis means you don’t have to do a full-fledged clean of the appliance as often.
  2. Empty it out. While it’s not the most fun chore, make a habit of emptying your dishwasher after it has completed its cycle. This will allow you a full view of the bottom of the appliance, where debris and buildup most often live and give you full access to your appliance for maintenance and cleaning.
  3. Check the spinning arms. The parts of a dishwasher that do the heavy lifting when it comes to getting your dishes sparkling clean are called the spinning arms. Depending on the model, your dishwashers spinning arm is located at the bottom of the appliance and may have an additional arm at the top. Occasionally check to make sure the arms can spin and that the holes in the arm are not blocked by food debris or buildup. If they are blocked, use a toothbrush to clear them out.
  4. Clean the sides and exterior. Does your dishwasher have a funky smell? That may be due to buildup on the edges of the machine. It is easy to ignore this part of the appliance, as all the action happens inside. So make a point of occasionally cleaning the edges and exterior of the dishwasher using a solution of vinegar and water or a normal household all-purpose cleaner. This will also help clean away germs from the appliance’s control panel. While you’re at it, use the same cleaner to wipe down the underside of the door, the gasket, the interior racks and utensil basket, and the detergent dispenser.
  5. Don’t ignore the drain. Located at the very bottom of the appliance, your dishwasher’s drain is a favorite place for debris to settle after a cycle. Buildup of debris over time can cause your dishwasher to improperly drain, which can lead to leakage and mold on the interior of the machine. Clean out large pieces of debris using a paper towel and disassemble the drain to remove smaller or caked-on debris with a toothbrush.
  6. Use a tough cleaner on buildup. Acid is super effective at clearing away layers of buildup, and there are many options to choose from, like white vinegar, lemon juice, lemon-lime powdered drink mix, or even Tang. Powdered cleaners should be put in the detergent dispenser and liquids in a bowl on the top rack before running a dishwasher cycle on hot.
  7. Say no to mold and mildew. Bleach is your friend if you suspect (or see) mold or mildew growing in your machine. A small amount of bleach in a bowl placed on the top rack before running a hot cycle will get the interior of your machine squeaky-clean.
    • Note: do not use bleach on stainless steel exteriors or interiors.

No matter how well you maintain your dishwasher, you may experience issues you don’t know how to fix. That’s where Diamond comes in. We are St. Louis’ favorite appliance repair specialists, serving communities across Kansas and Missouri with expert dishwasher repair, refrigerator repair, and other appliance repair services. Proudly providing Amana dishwasher repair, Maytag dishwasher repair, Whirlpool dishwasher repair, and more. Give us a call today to get started.