Dishwasher Cleaning Hacks You’ll Love

There are few things more frustrating than emptying the dishwasher only to discover that just half of its contents are sparkly and clean. Groan! Back to the drawing board it is. Or, you know, back to unwrapping another dishwasher tablet and hitting the ‘on’ switch in anger.

So how about a spot of dishwasher maintenance? It could be that one of your most-used kitchen appliances is in need of a little TLC itself? With that in mind, we’re bringing you some dishwasher cleaning hacks you’ll love – and some you probably won’t have been aware of until now. Read on…

Raid Your Kitchen Cupboards

So here’s a dishwasher cleaning starter for 10. Try this before you give anything else a go: run the appliance on the highest temperature with a cup of vinegar placed on the top shelf. Then simply sprinkle some baking soda on the bottom and set it off a second time. The result? A gleaming, odour-free dishwasher which will be back in action almost immediately.

Got a Length of Wire?

Now you’ve cleaned out your dishwasher, you might want to give this a go. Clear out stubborn debris in the spray arms using a little wire — the wire you use to hang pictures will do it— and simply discard in a rubbish bin. Et voila – a perfectly clean, grime-free dishwasher in minutes.

Now Grab an Old Toothbrush

It’s important you use an old toothbrush here by the way! Dig out one you’re no longer using on your teeth and instead use it to get to the real ‘nitty gritty’ of your dishwasher. You really will be surprised how much grime and gunk you can free up simply by getting on your hands and knees and having a good root around with the brush bristles. A nasty job but oh so satisfying – trust us!

Have You Cleaned the Seals?

Again, not the most glamorous of jobs but it’s got to be done if you want a gleaming dishwasher. It’s worth remembering that the seals that work hard to prevent your dishwasher from leaking water on your kitchen floor tend to break down over time – a direct result of the bleaching ingredients in dishwasher detergents.

Prevent this inevitable breakdown, then, by simply keeping on top of the cleaning; give the seals around the door a good scrub with that toothbrush and some hot, soapy water. You can reach the areas small sponges will struggle to get to and you’ll find your dishwasher soon looks and smells as good as new, as well – result!

Once you’ve cleaned your dishwasher from top to bottom, start as you mean to go on and keep it that way. Make sure you organise pots and pans correctly to maximise the space and ensure there are no breakages. And did you also know you can wash other things in your dishwasher? They aren’t reserved for crockery alone, after all.

Use the ‘heated dry’ setting to kill bacteria and mould on your kitchen sponges. Alternatively, pop kids’ plastic toys in there with your regular dishwashing and see how sparkly they come out.