To keep your dishwasher in good shape, you should do some simple regular maintenance on it. Here are some hints for keeping your dishwasher clean and working great.
Clean the outside of your dishwasher with a little soap and a damp sponge. The inside doesn’t need to be cleaned since running the dishwasher will clean it. If you don’t use your dishwasher for a while, it can start to smell bad. A fine solution to this is to just run the cycle with some normal detergent.
Dishwashers have a filter at the botton which should be cleaned regularly. Read your instruction manual to see how to remove and clean yours. You might need to replace this filter if it breaks or has holes in it. Be sure to do so — this filter protects the motor and other delicate parts below.
Rust stains can be removed with rust remover. You can get this type of rust remover at the grocery store or the hardware store. Rust stains are caused by iron in the water. If you have a big problem with rust stains in your home, consider getting a water filter to remove some of the iron.
The water jets on the spray arms of the dishwasher may become clogged over time. Tiny bits of food or even mineral deposits can obstruct the flow of water. Cleaning these holes now and then can really increase the efficacy of your dishwasher.
Some dishwashers have food disposal units built in. If yours has one of these, be sure to check the manufacturers instructions for how to care for it. These devices can be a big time saver, but they also require some maintenance to keep functioning properly. One tip for keeping a food disposal unit great smelling is to put several slices of lemon in it. The lemon cleans out the device when it gets chopped up.
