Kitchen

[Kachina624]

If you live in an area with very hard water, you might run some citric acid through it periodically.  They sell it in grocery and hardware stores in these areas or get it from Amazon.  I had to use it in every load when I lived in an area with extremely hard water.

[patbz]

In addition to periodically using white vinegar, I will down the rubber gaskets around the door.  My repairman complimented me on my clean dishwasher (otherwise my cleaning skills leave much to be desired).

[JeanLouiseFinch]

There are dishwasher cleaning products located by the dishwasher detergent, if you want to go that route, but it's just as easy to throw a cup or so of vinegar in the empty dishwasher and let it run through a cycle.

FYI - avoid dishwasher detergents with any kind of citrus (orange or lemon) as they will etch your glassware and pit your stainless flatware.

[novamc1]

Many of today's dishwashers do not "grind up" solid debris, so you have to read the owner's manual and learn to clean the filter periodically.  I don't have to do it very often at all, in any dishwashers I've owned,  and I don't get dishwasher odor anymore since switching to the "heavy" cycle each time I wash--------makes a huge difference to dish and glassware cleanliness, it seems.  (Of course I also use RinseAid or similar product, based on factory recommendation.)

My solution to odor or poor cleaning/rinsing of dishes, which is needed only rarely, is to place two little glass bowls of white vinegar in the dishwasher---one on top rack and one on bottom.  Then run the washer on strongest cycle with nothing else added--no dishes, glasses, detergent.

You might or might not be surprised to find that the water left in those bowls when the cycles are complete is very cloudy.......which I assume is detergent or hard-water mineral  deposit buildup, which you can then happily discard.

[Nataliesgramma]

 was going to say what @novamc1 said...but they beat me too it...LOL

Thats what I would recommend...

[qualitygal]

There are cleaners you can buy at the grocery store.  I get one for my washing machine. 

[novamc1]

Instead of expensive "dishwasher cleaner" products (which seem to get mixed reviews on the internet), I buy a huge and inexpensive jug of white vinegar and it seems to work fine. 

The vinegar is also useful for other housecleaning and deodorization chores around the house, such as keeping drains clear.

[Pooky1]

i use a cup of baking soda sprinkled on bottom of dishwasher and 2 cups of white vinagar. it does a real good job. as soon as the vinagar hits baking soda it bubbles all up.

[jackthebear]

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@cookinfreak wrote:

I have only had a dishwasher in the house I live in now.Here is my dumb question. How do I clean it?

Do I just throw in the detergent in the compartment of the empty washer and let it run? I have heard to use lemonade kool ade (unsweetened) cuz the citrus cleans well. Do I put that where you normally put detergent? Do I just sprinkle it on the bottom of the machine? TIA

cookin

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not a dumb question

but you should clean out the filter as it gets yucky, and personally, I think it's a good idea to use one of the DW cleaning products.

I am a big fan of using vinegar but I did read that it can degrade the rubber seals over time .....

my new DW manual recommends cleaning the filter monthly,