How to Clean Your Dishwasher

It may seem odd that you have to clean your dishwasher when it constantly has soap and water running through it. Believe me, it gets dirty. I usually clean ours when our dishes stop coming out clean, about 3 times a year. We don't typically rinse our dishes before putting them in and there are some things we know are going to come back dirty, like eggs. In general, this works for us and we are able to save lots of water by not rinsing. Some detergent companies even argue that they need the food particles on the dish to cause friction with the soap (or something equally weird). Even though we have an older dishwasher (that we actually got for free on the side of the road), it still gets the job done but only if I keep it clean.

In the past, I have taken apart every loose piece and washed them in the sink (if they fit) and wiped everything down.I still try to do this about once a year but it really is a lot of work to do every time and to me, it just isn't worth it. I have also tried commercial dishwasher cleaners like Dishwasher Magic. I actually love Dishwasher Magic and think it works great but I felt like this was something I could do with a homemade cleaner (i.e. cheaper).

Today, after pinteresting about it of course, I tried vinegar and baking soda. You put a glass measuring cup with 1 cup of vinegar in the top rack of your dishwasher. Then add 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Of course this causes a reaction so be sure to do this when the cup is already in your dishwasher. Then run your dishwasher (with the rest of it empty) with the hottest cycle you can. Voila! Your dishwasher is clean.

I hope it goes without saying that food particles, especially if you don't rinse your dishes, can get stuck in places that can also affect the efficiency of the machine. Since these were too big to fit down the drain, get them out with your hand before you do the vinegar cycle. You should also periodically look for them, even if you aren't completely cleaning the washer.