The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that over 89 million homes in America have a dishwasher. This means 4 out of 5 homes in this country have a dishwasher.
There are many benefits of owning a dishwasher:
- Saves time
- Saves money
- Saves electricity
- Saves about 5,000 gallons of water a year
- Is eco-friendly
- Kills germs and bacteria
A machine that cleans your dishes, conserves water, and saves you time and energy? Take my money!
How do you show your appreciation for it? How do you take care of it? How do you ensure your dishes come out sparkling every time?
I know everyone cleans the outside, but have you thought about the inside? You may think, “Doesn’t it get clean every time I run it? The answer is definitely not! So, how often should it be cleaned? This depends on how often it is used and how dirty the dishes are.
If you’re like me and run 4-7 loads of heavily soiled dishes weekly, it is recommended that you clean your dishwasher once per month or when you notice objects or soil on the filter system on the bottom center of the dishwasher.
During the cleaning cycle, the food particles that are blasted from your dishes need to go somewhere. Dishwashers usually have a filter system located inside at the bottom center of the unit. The system consists of an upper filter assembly that keeps food particles out of the pump, which fits into the lower filter that helps keep food particles from recirculating onto your dishes. How do you keep the dishwasher free of bacteria and germs and avoid build-up inside the machine or clogging pipes?
- First, remove the racks and locate the filters at the bottom of the dishwasher. Turn the upper filter assembly 1/4 turn clockwise and lift out, then grasp and remove the lower filter.
- Next, wash the filters with a soft brush (don’t use a wire brush) using @Dawn Platinum Power detergent and running water. After cleaning the filters, let the upper filter assembly soak in a bowl of vinegar for 15 minutes. While the filter is soaking, you can wash the racks with vinegar or @Dawn Platinum Power detergent.
- Now that the racks are clean, you can focus on the inside by spraying vinegar on the top, sides, and bottom of the interior of the dishwasher. Let this sit for 5 minutes.
- Rinse the soaking upper filter assembly with running warm water, then put it back in the lower filter and lock the filters back in place.
- Put the racks back on their tracks.
- Run your empty dishwasher on a high-temperature cycle with @affresh dishwasher cleaner.
- When the wash cycle ends, open the door and allow the inside to dry before using.
Bask in the shine that is emanating from your dishwasher and soak up the satisfaction that your dishwasher is now safer, cleaner, and disinfected.
