Table of content:
How Often You Should Clean Your Dishwasher
Consequences of Skipping Dishwasher Cleaning
DIY Methods to Clean Your Dishwasher
Keeping your dishwasher clean is essential for both its performance and longevity. Regular maintenance—ideally once a month—prevents the buildup of food particles, detergent residue, and mineral deposits that can lead to unpleasant odors, cloudy dishes, and even mechanical issues. By sticking to a consistent cleaning schedule, you’ll ensure your dishwasher runs efficiently, delivers sparkling results, and avoids common problems like clogs, drainage issues, and unwanted mold. Whether your appliance sees daily use or only occasional cycles, a little routine care goes a long way in protecting your investment and keeping your kitchen running smoothly.
Reviewed by Zac Kieffer
President at E-Cloth
Updated July, 26
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How Often You Should Clean Your Dishwasher
Frequency and Rationale
- Monthly cleaning is the sweet spot for most households, especially if your dishwasher is in regular use. This frequency helps prevent the buildup of detergent residues, food particles, and water mineral deposits that can otherwise clog internal pathways and affect performance.
- Even though you might not see visible grime, microscopic film and oils can accumulate over time. A monthly routine keeps these deposits in check, ensuring that the dishwasher maintains its efficiency and prolongs the life of its components.
- If you use your dishwasher less frequently, you might stretch the interval to every two months. However, erring on the side of caution with a monthly schedule is a tried-and-true practice recommended by professionals to avert potential odors and mechanical issues.
- Hard water areas can accelerate mineral buildup. If that’s your situation, sticking to a monthly cleaning routine becomes even more critical to avoid the gradual degradation of the appliance's performance.
- Routine cleaning acts as maintenance — by preventing major blockages and ensuring optimal water circulation, it helps your dishwasher deliver the best cleaning results every cycle.
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Consequences of Skipping Dishwasher Cleaning
- Funky Smells That Won’t Quit: If you skip cleaning your dishwasher, you’re basically inviting a party for old food bits, grease, and soap scum. Over time, these leftovers break down and create a stubborn, musty odor that can make your whole kitchen smell like a science experiment gone wrong.
- Cloudy Dishes and Glasses: A dirty dishwasher can’t rinse properly. That means you’ll start noticing white spots, streaks, or a filmy residue on your dishes and glasses. It’s not just unsightly—it’s a sign that your machine isn’t doing its job.
- Clogged Spray Arms and Filters: Food particles and mineral deposits can build up in the spray arms and filters. When these parts get blocked, water can’t reach every corner of your dishwasher, leaving you with half-clean plates and bowls.
- Shorter Appliance Lifespan: All that gunk and buildup forces your dishwasher to work harder. Over time, this extra strain can wear out the motor and other key parts faster, meaning you might be shopping for a new dishwasher sooner than you’d like.
- Unwanted Guests (Mold and Mildew): Dishwashers are warm and damp—basically, a five-star resort for mold and mildew if you don’t keep things clean. These can show up as black spots or slimy patches around the door seal or inside the tub.
- Drainage Problems: When filters and drains get clogged with debris, water can back up inside the machine. This can lead to standing water at the bottom of your dishwasher and, in some cases, leaks onto your kitchen floor.
- Wasted Time and Money: If your dishwasher isn’t clean, you’ll probably end up re-washing dishes by hand or running extra cycles. That means more water, more energy, and more of your precious time down the drain.
DIY Methods to Clean Your Dishwasher
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White Vinegar and Baking Soda
Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of the empty dishwasher. Pour a cup of white vinegar into a dishwasher-safe bowl and place it on the top rack. Run a hot water cycle. This natural method helps remove odors, dissolve buildup, and leave your dishwasher fresh and clean.
Lemon Juice and Hot Water
Pour one cup of lemon juice into the bottom of your empty dishwasher. Run a hot water cycle to let the natural acidity break down grease, remove odors, and leave your dishwasher fresh and clean.
Citric Acid Powder and Hot Water
Dissolve 2 tablespoons of citric acid powder in 1 cup of hot water. Pour the solution into the bottom of the empty dishwasher and run a hot wash cycle. This method removes limescale, odors, and buildup, leaving your dishwasher fresh and clean.
Borax Powder and Hot Water
Dissolve ¼ cup of borax powder in 1 quart of hot water. Pour the solution into the bottom of the empty dishwasher. Run a normal wash cycle to help remove odors, mineral buildup, and grime, leaving your dishwasher fresh and clean.
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Incomplete Residue Removal
White vinegar and baking soda may not fully dissolve or remove stubborn food particles and grease, leading to incomplete residue removal and lingering buildup inside the dishwasher after cleaning.
Hidden Bacterial Growth
Lemon juice and hot water may not effectively kill all bacteria in your dishwasher, allowing hidden bacterial growth to persist and cause odors or hygiene issues despite the cleaning attempt.
Potential Seal Damage
Using citric acid powder and hot water can damage the dishwasher’s rubber seals, causing them to degrade, crack, or lose flexibility, which may lead to leaks and reduced appliance lifespan.
Ineffective Grease Dissolution
Borax powder and hot water may not effectively dissolve or break down tough grease in dishwashers, leading to residue buildup and poor cleaning results. This method lacks the strong degreasing agents needed for stubborn grease removal.
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