How to clean a dishwasher

Owners of household dishwashers often have questions about cleaning appliances. Over time, various contaminants accumulate in it, which give an unpleasant odor and worsen the quality of washing, despite the fact that it is carried out with a good detergent. In this review, we will tell you how to clean your dishwasher and get rid of various contaminants, from food residue to scale.

Basic rules for cleaning dishwashers

If you bought a dishwasher and decided that it does not need maintenance (they say, it will clean and wash itself), then you are seriously mistaken. The thing is that the equipment is gradually getting dirty, and sooner or later it will have to be cleaned of accumulated pollution. Otherwise an unpleasant odor will appear in the working chamber, bacteria will begin to multiply in it.

Let's look at the basic cleaning rules:

• The dishwasher must be ventilated periodically - the moisture accumulating in it accelerates the decomposition of the remaining organic contaminants and leads to an unpleasant odor;
• Regularly wipe the inside of the dishwasher (PM) and the basket for laying dishes;
• Remember that it is best to clean the PM baskets by hand - this way you will remove more dirt;
• After machine washing with special detergents for PM, do not forget to walk on all knots and surfaces with a dry towel or clean cloth;
• Do not leave food residues on the loaded kitchen utensils - do not be too lazy to remove them before laying;
• Regularly remove dirt from hard-to-reach places where detergent may not reach;
• Use high-quality salt and no less high-quality rinses;
• Remember that the rubber seals on the dishwasher door must be clean - if there is dirt on them, the seals must be cleaned;
• Remove greasy contaminants in a timely manner - they tend to literally eat into the metal, leading to the appearance of a greasy film that is difficult to wash off.

Proper maintenance of your dishwasher will definitely prolong its life and make your kitchen utensils cleaner. Remember that if you clean the machine 1-2 times a month, then you will not have to use fragrances - there will be no unpleasant odors in the PM.

Next, we will tell you how to clean the dishwasher at home - for this we will use store chemicals. For example, you can use the Finish cleaner to do this. Take the product bottle, remove the protective film and place the bottle upside down in the topmost basket. After that, start the program at +60 degrees (without dishes). As soon as the cycle is completed, you will have a perfectly clean dishwasher at your disposal.

Cleaning the dishwasher from leftover food

If, after a long operation of the dishwasher, you decide to clean it, then this is more than a commendable decision. First, let's try to eliminate the leftover food. They may accumulate:

• On metal and plastic parts of dish baskets;
• On the ceiling and walls of the working chamber;
• In the so-called "dead zones", which are present in almost every PM;
• In the filter and at the bottom of the chamber;
• At the points of contact between the door and the body;
• On rubber seals.

In fact, we have listed all the components of the internal volume of an ordinary dishwasher. Yes, it can effectively wash large volumes of dirty dishes, but food remains are not always removed from the working chamber.

At the first stage, it is necessary to remove and clean the dishwasher baskets by passing a cloth with any detergent over each metal element. If desired, you can send the basket to the sink or to the bathroom, lather it properly with a sponge with a lot of foam and let it stand - after a while we wash it all with hot water and wipe it dry with a towel.

The interior of the working chamber can be cleaned with an ordinary Fairy - pour a little gel on a sponge, wet it in water and start scrubbing the walls. Also, do not forget to clean all the bumps. If some places cannot be cleaned, we moisten them abundantly with soapy water and foam, leave for 15-20 minutes so that it all gets wet. After that, we arm ourselves with an old toothbrush or hard sponge and continue to clean the dishwasher.

Do not forget to clean the filter - a huge amount of dirt can remain in it. It must be unscrewed from the bottom of the machine and washed thoroughly in hot water with the addition of detergent. Then we screw it back and put the basket in place - our cleaning is completed. In order to achieve maximum effect, you can start the cycle with a special detergent tablet. Filter replacement it is only necessary if holes have appeared in it or it has completely collapsed.

How to clean the dishwasher from grease

Now we will tell you how to clean the dishwasher from grease - such contaminants cause many problems, being laundered with great difficulty. Fat deposits are often deposited on rotating rockers, on the ceiling, on baskets and near seals.If special detergents do not help, it is best to clean the dishwasher by hand, using hot water, kitchen detergent, a cloth and a toothbrush.

To remove fat, you can use the following methods:

• Sprinkle the internal surfaces with soda, put a glass of vinegar on the bottom, and then start an intensive wash at maximum temperature. A violent reaction will allow you to get rid of not only fat, but also other contaminants;
• You can throw all the internal surfaces with a pharmacy borax, and then again start the dishwasher in intensive mode;
• Good results are obtained by a hardened mixture of two glasses of ordinary soda, any essential oil (for example, eucalyptus - it has antiseptic properties) and three tablespoons of powdered hydrogen peroxide. We scatter pieces of the mixture along the bottom of the dishwasher, and put a couple of glasses of vinegar (not essences!) On the top basket - the reviews on the way to clean the dishwasher are the most positive.

In the end, you can use special tablet cleaners for cleaning dishwashers from grease.

How to descale a dishwasher

In order to prevent the formation of scale in the dishwasher, special salt is added to it - it softens the water, preventing the formation of limescale. Nevertheless, it still remains on some elements. Worst of all if the scale remains on the heating element, because of this, its heating ability will deteriorate, and the PM will waste mountains of electricity on heating (the duration of cycles increases, the quality of washing deteriorates).

The following tools will help clean the dishwasher from scale:

• Antinakipin is a powder drug available at any hardware store. Pour it on the bottom and start the sink.It is also recommended to add it to a powdered detergent when washing dishes (only a little bit and occasionally);
• Table vinegar - pour a couple of glasses directly to the bottom, slam the door and run the sink at the highest temperature;
• Specialized products for descaling dishwashers - look for them in hardware stores and supermarkets, try to clean the dishwasher according to the instructions provided.

Next, we will tell you how to clean the dishwasher with citric acid - it costs a penny, but it is highly effective. In addition, lemon is absolutely safe for humans and does not give a pungent odor. It is very easy to use - pour acid on the bottom of the dishwasher, then run an intensive cycle at the highest temperature. As soon as it is finished, run a quick wash in clean water to completely get rid of the acid residue.

Do not forget to clean your dishwasher from various contaminants, you will extend its life and will be able to maintain the quality of washing. Whether you use a manual or machine wash, it's up to you. But remember that for best results, it's best to clean your appliances by hand (including after completing an automatic wash with special detergents).