How to Clean a Dishwasher with Vinegar

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Have you wondered how to clean a dishwasher or if you need to clean yours? It doesn’t necessarily make sense to have to clean an appliance that cleans, but food particles and minerals can build up in your dishwasher preventing it from cleaning thoroughly.  Add cleaning your dishwasher with vinegar to your cleaning rotation – your dishes will be cleaner and your dishwasher will run more efficiently.

ADD IT TO YOUR ROUTINE: If you’re adding cleaning your dishwasher to your cleaning rotation, clean it every month or at least every 3 months.

GATHER INGREDIENTS
1 cup white vinegar
cleaning cloth – I like using bar mop towels or microfiber cleaning cloths 

Cleaning Cloth Kit

GET STARTED
Start by running the dishwasher and removing any clean dishes if you need to. Your dishwasher needs to be empty to clean it.

Wipe the edges and seal with your favorite all-purpose cleaner or white vinegar.  I am using a microfiber cleaning cloth to wipe the edges and seal.

Remove the bottom rack and check for any food particles or blockages.  If you see any blockages you can use a toothpick to get them out.

If you have a filter in your dishwasher remove it and rinse it out with hot water.  You can also use a small detail brush or a toothbrush that you dedicate to cleaning to give it a little scrub with some dish soap.

Pour one cup of vinegar in the bottom of the dishwasher – I use distilled vinegar with a 5% acidity.

If your dishwasher drains before running you can also put the cup of vinegar on the top rack at an angle – it should dump out during the cycle.

Close the dishwasher and run it on a hot, sanitize cycle. This will ensure that your dishwasher is completely clean and that any mineral build-up is washed away.

When the dishwasher has completed its cycle wipe dry with a bar mop towel or a microfiber cloth. If your dishwasher has a lot of mineral build up, you can wipe the seals again with white vinegar and repeat the cleaning cycle.

Cleaning your dishwasher will take about 5 minutes of hands-on cleaning time and as long it takes to run the dishwasher cycle. Try this quick and easy method today!

If you’re looking for an in-depth cleaning guide, my brand-new PDF packet, Clean Mama’s Guide to Kitchens – it has checklists, a quick-start guide, DIY cleaning recipes and more. Check it out here.

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