Unpleasant smells
Food leftovers, limescale, etc.: That’s why you should clean the dishwasher
Over time, food residue, limescale residue and dirt collect inside a dishwasher
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The job of a dishwasher is to clean dirty cutlery and dishes. And she does this job damn well. What the device cannot influence, however, is your own hygiene. And so at some point it starts to smell unpleasantly inside the kitchen aid. To put it mildly.
If you notice unpleasant smells coming from your empty dishwasher, it’s time for a thorough cleaning. However, you should clean the inside of the device at the latest when your dishes no longer get clean. In this article we explain which cleaning methods work best and why a dishwasher starts to stink. We will also show you how you can clean the device using simple home remedies.
That’s why the dishwasher starts to stink
There are places in the dishwasher where food residues accumulate because they are not caught by the washing water: for example in the sieve at the bottom, in the insert baskets or even in small spaces. The longer the food stays there undetected, the more it decomposes and begins to smell. In addition, dirt particles also accumulate and rot in the rubber seals. And as if that wasn’t disgusting enough, there are also lime residues, which form an ideal breeding ground for bacteria – and permanently destroy the dishwasher’s components. This makes it all the more important to clean the device thoroughly at least once every three months (depending on how frequently it is used). You can find out how this works in the next paragraph.
How to clean the dishwasher correctly
It is advisable to use a special dishwasher every now and then Machine cleaner To remove grease, odors, limescale and dirt deposits: pull off the tab, place the container upside down in the dishwasher and turn on the appliance (as hot as possible). However, since the rinse water cannot reach all places, as already described above, you should regularly remove all loose parts and clean them by hand. Proceed as follows:
The sieve in the dishwasher is very easy to remove and clean
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- Take this Dishwasher strainer out, which is located in the middle of the floor. This usually works with a slight twisting movement, otherwise you will have to consult the manufacturer’s instructions. If you find leftover food in it, tip it into the trash can first. Then rinse the sieve with hot water before removing any coarse dirt with a dishwashing brush and a little washing up liquid. Before you put the sieve back into the machine, check the drain for possible foreign bodies or coarse food residue.
- Now they are Cutlery baskets It’s your turn: Take it out of the dishwasher and remove any leftover food in the trash. Stubborn dirt can also be scrubbed off under running water with a brush and detergent. Before you put the baskets back into the device, clean the rollers and hinges with a damp cloth – dirt residue can also accumulate here. In addition, the side walls should be cleaned first, preferably with a grease-dissolving cleaning agentsbefore you insert the baskets.
- Let’s continue with the spray arms: There are small holes in it from which water normally comes out when the machine is running. Limescale and food residue can also collect here and need to be removed, otherwise the outlet nozzles will become clogged and the cleaning performance of the machine will visibly (in the truest sense of the word) decrease. It’s best to remove the arms; here too, it’s worth taking a look at the manufacturer’s instructions. The holes can be filled with a whole fine brush or clean with a toothpick.
- Last but not least, it is important to have all of them Seals Remove grease and dirt from the dishwasher. To do this, take a clean, damp cloth and a mild cleaning agent – and run it along the outer edge of the device to clean the rubber. Please avoid using harsh vinegar cleaners as they would attack the material and shorten the durability of the seals. And these are essential because they prevent water from escaping from the dishwasher while it is in use.
Clean the dishwasher with home remedies
If you want to avoid chemicals out of love for the environment, there are a variety of tried and tested home remedies that you can use to clean the dishwasher:
citric acid
Should be good for stubborn limescale deposits citric acid be. The home remedy can be used pure or diluted. Use it to wipe out the interior and clean both the rubber seal and the flushing arms. Then add pure citric acid (approx. ten tablespoons) to the dishwasher and run it – without dishes – through a cleaning program that is not too hot.
Baking soda
In order to combat unpleasant odors, the bacterial foci must be removed. A mixture should be particularly suitable for this purpose Baking soda and citric acid – however, both home remedies react with water and are thereby neutralized. It is therefore important to use both products separately: put three tablespoons of citric acid in the washing powder compartment and five tablespoons of baking soda directly into the machine. Only then do you turn on the dishwasher and run a short, low-temperature program.
Vinegar
Another tried and tested home remedy for limescale and dirt is Vinegar, but not pure, but heavily diluted with water. The best way to do this is to use a large bucket to then put parts of the dishwasher (such as the sieve or the washing arms) in it. You can also use the vinegar and water mixture to wipe down the interior of the device – but be careful not to touch the seals. The vinegar attacks the rubber and causes the seals to become porous more quickly.
Source: Utopia
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