How to clean the dishwasher with natural methods

Do you know how to clean the dishwasher? It is very simple but this must be done with continuity to make it last longer. The dishwasher is a very useful appliance, easy to use, but it must be cleaned with natural remedies using homemade ingredients.

External cleaning

As for external cleaning, use a cloth soaked in warm water to remove lighter dirt, while for the more encrusted stains you can spray a few drops of white vinegar directly on the dirt.

Internal cleaning

For internal cleaning, use vinegar, a natural remedy that removes both limestone and encrusted food. Pour a glass on the bottom of the dishwasher and start a full wash at the maximum temperature. So you will degrease and sanitize not only the inside of the appliance but also the drain and the pipes: the vinegar will eliminate the bad smells and, thanks to its acidity, also bacteria, limestone and soap residues.

Another anti-limestone remedy is citric acid: just do an empty washing with 2 tablespoons of citric acid to descale the dishwasher.

Another useful remedy for sanitizing and degreasing the dishwasher is baking soda: prepare a glass of water and melt a couple of teaspoons of baking soda, then pour it directly onto the bottom of the dishwasher.

How to eliminate odors

Since the dishwasher is always in contact with food residues, over time it can give off odors. Citrus fruits are ideal for eliminating them. In particular, you can fill a glass of lemon juice, also adding a little orange juice if you wish, and place it on the central basket of the appliance. Then let’s start a long-term program at maximum temperature, choosing an important rinse to prevent the citrus fruits from leaving sticky residues. When the dishwasher is closed or off, do not close the door but leave it ajar, so there will not be bad odors.

How to clean the gaskets

If food residues have accumulated in the gaskets, you can use a sponge soaked in water and vinegar and eliminate the incrustations with a little "elbow grease". In case the typical smell of vinegar becomes unbearable, a cold water rinsing phase can be added. Even cleaning washes are important to keep the gaskets clean: every 15 or 20 days, make some washing with an empty dishwasher using white vinegar. The filters will be so perfectly clean.

How to keep the dishwasher filter clean

For a perfect maintenance and cleaning of the dishwasher, the filter should be cleaned after each wash, or at least once a week. The operation is very simple: rinse it under running water and make sure that the holes that allow the passage of water are free and clean. If residues remain, use a toothbrush to remove them, while if the holes are clogged, a toothpick will suffice. Then pass a damp cloth soaked in vinegar to eliminate any unpleasant odors.

How to remove mold from the dishwasher

Doing an empty washing every 15 days with a liter of vinegar and at high temperatures will free your dishwasher from mold and fungi thanks to the disinfectant power of vinegar. Another method is to rub the areas affected by the mold with a little abrasive sponge using vinegar together with a little washing-up liquid. Later, to prevent new mold colonies from forming, you can then start washing at high temperatures with a measuring cup of bleach. Then proceed to a second empty washing to remove all traces of bleach. To prevent the formation of mold instead, avoid creating humidity by leaving the door a little open and place a bowl with coarse salt and a little baking soda on the lower part, which you will leave in the empty dishwasher removing it then before operating it for washing of the dishes.

Tips

The advice to keep the dishwasher working and 100% efficient even after years is to never charge it with plates and crockery full of food residues and to carry out, at least once a month, a high temperature empty washing. Only in this way it will not be difficult to clean it after;

Moreover, if you don't use it for a long time, the advice is to clean the inside lid and walls with a cloth soaked in lukewarm water and vinegar, leaving the lid a bit open to avoid the formation of bad odors and mold;

Make sure the salt tank is always full. You can, in the case, replace it also with normal coarse cooking salt;

Once a week add two tablespoons of baking soda and half a glass of vinegar to the normal wash;

At least twice a month check that the rotating arms are not blocked and free them from any food residues with an old toothbrush and then rinse them carefully.