When was the last time you cleaned your dishwasher? Really think about it. No, we’re not talking about running a dirty load and thinking the dish soap you put in the dispenser will do the trick. We’re talking about a real deep clean. Not sure? Well, that means it’s time!

Contrary to popular belief, giving your dishwasher a deep clean is quite simple. All you really need is two ingredients:

White Vinegar: fill a dishwasher safe coffee mug ½ – ¾ full with white vinegar. Place it on the top rack (where you normally load your cups) and turn the washer on for a normal cycle. The vinegar will help loosen up soap scum and food particles that are caked on the inside of the washer. It will also help clean the walls, racks and even help loosen up and wash grease down the drain.
Baking Soda: after you’ve successfully run a cycle with vinegar, the next step is to run one with baking soda. Sprinkle some baking soda all over the bottom rack and the base of the dishwasher and run a normal cycle. This will help break down any food particles missed by the vinegar and you’ll be left with a clean and odor-free dishwasher.

PRO TIP: for extreme dirt and grime inside your dishwasher, you may choose to run a cycle with bleach. We do not, however, recommend this strategy if your dishwasher has a stainless steel interior as bleach can cause damage to the surface.

We recommend going through this process once a month for a few reasons. Not only will it help keep your dishwasher looking new, it will keep odors at bay and allow the machine to keep working at peak performance.

Happy cleaning!