Clean Dishes – Dirty Dishwasher: How to clean your dishwasher

Most people notice over time that the inside of their dishwasher needs some attention even though it’s been shooting hot soapy water around the inside several time a week. A dirty dishwasher can even have an effect on how clean your dishes, silverware, and glassware get. Here’s a quick guide to giving yours the once-over:

Best practice is to refer back to the owner’s manual for the recommended cleaning steps for your particular dishwasher. Okay – there- we said it. Moving on . . . if you can’t find the manual, keep reading.
Scrub the rubber gasket and around the gasket with a soft brush and gentle cleanser like Speed Cleaning’s Pro Scrub, then wipe thoroughly.
Remove the racks and inspect the drain, taking out any debris that could block it. You may even want to remove the drain cover to clean out underneath if possible.
Put the racks back in. Run the dishwasher empty on a hot cycle with one cup of distilled white vinegar in a container sitting on the top rack. For extra freshness, then run a second cycle with one cup of baking soda sprinkled on the bottom of the dishwasher.
Use your gentle cleanser to wipe away any remaining interior marks on the walls and door.
Wipe the outside of the dishwasher door. For white units, use an eraser sponge on the white handle area (not on a shiny or acrylic front panel). For stainless steel (actually, for all finishes!), use a cleaner like SpeedCleaning.com’s Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish.