Signs Your Dishwasher Needs To Be Cleaned

March 5, 2021

The first, and most important, step in optimizing your dishwasher’s efficiency is to recognize when your dishwasher is crying for help. Aside from regular monthly maintenance, your dishwasher may be trying to get your attention by one of the following:

Dishes Are No Longer Coming Out Clean

If you notice that even after a cleaning cycle you see streaks, feel a film on glassware, or even have food left on dishes, it is likely time to thoroughly clean your dishwasher.

There Is a Noticeable Smell Coming From The Dishwasher

It is easy for food particles to get stuck within interior crevices inside of your dishwasher. Bacteria thrive in a damp, dark environment. Over time, these particles begin to mold and create a foul smell.

How To Clean A Dishwasher

Keeping up on monthly maintenance of your dishwasher will ensure that your dishes come out clean and your appliance runs as efficiently as it should. So what should you do to keep your dishwasher clean?

Clean The Door

Yes, cleaning the front of your dishwasher will keep your house looking nice, but you also want to clean the hinges and rubber seals on the interior of the door. Warm water and suds work great and will more than suffice for this job.

Wash The Tub

While it may sound like a daunting task, this actually quite easy and nothing that you should put off. Simply empty the dishwasher, put a cup of white vinegar in the top rack, and run a wash cycle.

Clean The Filters

Reference your owner's manual to locate your filters and confirm that they are removable. If your filters are removable, remove the filters from your appliance and run them under warm water.

Run a Cleaning Cycle Using Lemon Juice

Seriously! If you have hard water, it is common to see a mineral buildup (which looks like white residue). Fill a cup with lemon juice and run a clean cycle. Once a month run a lemon wash cycle to remove the residue.

Clean The Drain

The right combination of baking soda and warm water helps loosen any clogs. Start by mixing 1 tablespoon of vinegar mixed with 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Pour the mixture down the dishwasher drain. Follow that with boiling water to avoid your drains backing up. Clean your drains regularly with this method to avoid clogs and backups.

Where to Shop For A Dishwasher in Southern California

Howard's has been in business for over 70 years and is Southern California's largest and most trusted appliance retailer. We offer free next-day delivery on purchases over $399 within qualified zip codes scheduled before 5 p.m. in the Southern California area. To make things easier for our customers, we also offer free online chat, phone consultations, and online ordering. Shop one of our 13 locations or browse our selection online at Howards.com.