When you think of a dishwasher, you think of a machine that gets your dishes clean. However, if you were to take a peek in kitchens of your neighbors and friends, you might be surprised to find something you wouldn’t suspect: a dirty dishwasher. That’s right, the appliance that gets things clean can also get dirty itself.
Think about it. The dishwasher is loaded with dirty dishes. Often the dirty dishes drip syrup and crumbs and all kinds of nasty stuff into the dishwasher tub until they’re ready to run and then all that goop sloshes around inside your dishwasher. Combine that with hot water (something that breeds mold), and you have the potential for creating a grimy dishwasher. This is especially true of dishwashers with plastic tubs versus the stainless steel varieties. Although these certainly do get dirty too, the white plastic tubs show it more.
Be temperature aware
Sometimes dishes aren’t cleaned as well and the dishwasher gets dirty faster because the cleaning temperature of the water in the dishwasher is too low. Some dishwashers pre-heat the water to the correct temperature, or have a setting to heat the water, and if yours does, then you’re assured the water is at the correct temperature. However, some don’t. Various manufacturers recommend effective cleaning must be at 120 degrees or higher. Still others say that for proper cleaning and disinfection, water must be at 140 degrees (this is my preference, too).
To find out what your water temperature is set at, run your dishwasher. When it’s in the washing cycle, stick a regular cooking thermometer into the water. If your water is less than 120 degrees, your dishes won’t be getting clean and that could be causing your dishwasher to get dirtier, too.
Personally, I like to keep my water heater thermostat set high because I want the washer and dishwasher to have really hot water. It’s more energy saving when it’s set at lower temperatures, but you get more hot water longer because it your water is at a higher temperature and you use less of it. Always run the sink water until it’s at maximum hotness before starting the dishwasher. This way you are assured that only hot water is going into the dishwaher.
Most of the time when dishwashers are dirty, these are the typical problems:
For cleaning your dishwasher, you’ll want to use the right approach for your particular problem. Try the following ideas and be aware that you may need to do more than one application. Please note that the dishwasher should be empty and not have any dishes when you run it and do not add any detergent. Run your dishwasher on its hottest setting for all the cleaning methods below.
Mold. Run the dishwasher empty and add in one cup of bleach. This will whiten and brighten the tub and kill any mold that is growing.
Scale. Over time water in the dishwasher will create discolorations and deposits. To clean these, add one half container of Tang Orange Drink Mix. Tang is high in citric acid and will loosen hard water deposits and loosen scale. It’s a good all-purpose dishwasher cleaner. You may need to wipe the inside of the dishwasher with a sponge to remove the rest of the scale. Cleaners will often loosen the debris, but because scale is so stubborn it may need to be physically wiped off.
Rust. Like scale, rust is often found in the water in many homes. Rust will discolor the inside of the dishwasher. To remove rust stains, run one half container of Tang Orange Drink Mix. If deposits are removed and there is still a stain remaining, add a cup of bleach and run the dishwasher empty.
Discoloration, Buildup, and for General Cleaning. Run one cup of vinegar and one cup of baking soda. If discoloration still remains, add one cup of bleach and one cup of vinegar and run through a regular cycle.
Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Everydayclean.com Calender -- the calendar that helps you end the power struggle with your house. Keeping a clean home is about knowing what to clean when. Virtually everything that needs to be cleaned is on this calendar in a year-round cleaning schedule that helps you keep your house clean easier and faster. Click here for more information.