When it comes to personal hygiene, most of us never compromise. Let it be carrying around hand sanitizers or alcohol wipes, we’re always prepared.
We make sure the food we eat is perfectly hygienic too, even when we’re eating outside (obviously, you won’t eat from a place that looks dirty!)
However, do you maintain the same standards when it comes to your very own dishwasher? Do you remember the last time you thoroughly cleaned it, if ever?
If you have done so, good job! But if you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Your dishwasher is probably one of the MOST important appliances of your home which saves you a great deal of hassle, energy and time. And like everything else, it deserves to be taken care off too. And obviously, a dirty dishwasher is quite unhygienic.
If you want to know how you should wash your dishwasher and make it brand new, read on!
Things you will need:
- Acetic or Ethanoic acid (the General name is white vinegar and it should be distilled preferably)
- Any variant of multipurpose cleaner ( preferably the stainless steel one)
- Soft cotton rags or fabrics
- Sponge
- Pointed things such as needles or toothpicks
- Dish soap
- A screwdriver that matches the screws of your dishwasher and other tools such as wrenches
- Toothbrush
- Bicarbonate of soda (Otherwise known as baking soda)
Steps you need to follow:
The best time to start cleaning your dishwasher immediately after you have run a cycle, so after dinner is a suitable time to do it. When a cycle is complete, you have to:
- Empty it immediately. Take out all the racks you see (obviously ones that are detachable). In many models, you can only take out the bottom rack so don’t get worried if you can’t take the rest out. Just make sure you get all the detachable ones out.
- Look for the parts you can open, even if you have to use a screwdriver. Some models can be broken down into parts while in others, you can only open the filter, grate or spinning arm so make sure you carefully look for the parts which can be opened. If you have the dishwasher’s manual, you should use it as a reference.
- Find out the holes in the internal body of the dishwasher and check them thoroughly. Especially the spinning arm or disc (whatever that’s appropriate for your dishwasher) as water is sprayed out from there. Dirt and debris often get stored in those holes and clog them up, therefore hampering the flow of water. Use the sharp thing we asked you to keep (needle, toothpick or even a shish kabob stick) and poke out anything you find in those holes.
- Take all the parts you separated from the dishwasher and wash them thoroughly. Soak your sponge in soap and give them a good rubbing, and then use warm water to rinse everything off.
- Take the filter and clean it using a soft toothbrush, make sure you get all the dirt out. Rinse it with a paste of baking soda or warm water mixed with soap.
When you’re done cleaning the individual parts, move on to the body of the dishwasher.
- Clean the lower part of the door as it has probably stored a lot of dirt and waste. In most models, water does not reach that part so you have to clean it.
- Dip a little bit of your damp cloth/rag in vinegar and clean the door seal with it. Try to wipe all around it and get as close as you can to all the edges and corners. It is advisable to use a toothbrush or cotton bud dipped in vinegar to clean the areas you can’t reach using a cloth.
- Use your handy sponge to clean the lower and side walls, alongside the door of the dishwasher.
- Don’t forget the utensil rack! Make sure you check it for crumbs or pieces of food that might have stuck with Wash it using a dish brush or sponge, and when you’re done, give the top and bottom racks a good checking too.
- Return all the parts to their respective places and run a cycle with vinegar only.
- Take your time and polish the exteriors using the cleaner spray.
