How to Clean a Dishwasher (Filter, Seals + Smells)
Here's how to clean a dishwasher: empty it, rinse the filter, wipe the door seal and check the spray arms for trapped food. To deep clean the tub, place 2 cups of white vinegar in a dishwasher-safe cup on the bottom rack and run a hot, empty cycle without detergent, if your manual permits it. If smells linger, run a separate short, hot cycle with 1 cup of baking soda sprinkled on the bottom of the tub. Clean the machine about once a month and check the filter more often.
What do you need to clean a dishwasher?
You probably have most of the supplies already. A soft brush and cloth handle visible grime, while vinegar, citric acid or baking soda can help with an empty cleaning cycle when the appliance instructions allow them.
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2 cups of distilled white vinegar, if approved for your dishwasher
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1 cup of baking soda, or citric acid powder as a vinegar alternative (follow package directions)
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An old toothbrush or soft bottle brush
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A microfiber cloth
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A drop of dish soap
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A dishwasher-safe glass measuring cup or sturdy bowl
How do you clean a dishwasher filter?
Food trapped in the filter can leave a smell behind even when the dishwasher looks clean.
On many models, removing and rinsing the filter takes just a few minutes.
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Empty the dishwasher and slide out the bottom rack.
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Find the round filter beneath the lower spray arm. On many models, it twists before lifting out. Check your manual instead of forcing it.
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Rinse it under warm running water. Use a soft toothbrush and a drop of dish soap on food or grease stuck to the mesh.
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Wipe away food scraps and pooled water around the filter housing.
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Replace the filter and lock it securely before running another load.
Can't find a removable filter?
Some machines have two-part filters; older ones may use a food grinder.
Your owner's manual will show how yours works.
How do you clean the door seal and spray arms?
The rubber gasket, bottom lip of the door and spray-arm openings can collect residue that a normal cycle misses. Check them before running an empty cleaning cycle.
If your manual permits it, dampen a cloth with equal parts vinegar and water plus a drop of dish soap. Otherwise, use mild soapy water. Wring out the cloth and wipe around the gasket, especially the fold at the bottom of the door. Use a soft toothbrush for tight spots, then wipe the inner door edges, detergent cup and upper rim of the tub.
How do you clear the spray arms?
A blocked spray arm can leave dishes on the upper rack dirty. Small bits of food and hard-water deposits sometimes clog the openings that direct the water.
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Remove each spray arm as your owner's manual directs.
Some lift off; others unclip or unscrew.
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Hold the arm up to the light and check each opening for debris.
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Gently clear blocked holes with a toothpick, then rinse under running water.
Don't widen the holes.
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Reattach the arms and spin them by hand to check they move freely.
How do you clean a dishwasher with vinegar?
To clean a dishwasher with vinegar, place 2 cups of white vinegar in an upright dishwasher-safe cup on the bottom rack of an empty machine. Run a hot cycle without detergent, if your dishwasher's instructions allow vinegar. It may help loosen hard-water film on the tub and racks.
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Clean the filter, seal and spray arms first.
The vinegar cycle won't dislodge food caught in those spots.
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Fill a dishwasher-safe cup with 2 cups of white vinegar and stand it upright on the bottom rack. Don't pour it directly into the tub.
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Run a full, hot cycle without detergent.
Choose air-drying instead of heated drying if available.
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When the cycle finishes, leave the door open briefly to air out the vinegar smell.
America's Test Kitchen advises against using vinegar more than about once a month.
Vinegar is acidic, so check your dishwasher's instructions before using it.
Can you use vinegar and baking soda together?
Not in the same cycle. Vinegar and baking soda react when mixed, reducing their usefulness for the separate jobs they do.
Finish the vinegar cycle first. If a smell lingers, sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda on the tub floor and run a short, hot cycle, if permitted by your manual. Check the filter and drain if the odor keeps returning.
How do you clean a dishwasher without vinegar?
Citric acid offers a vinegar-free way to tackle hard-water deposits, provided your dishwasher allows it. Follow the amount and placement on the citric acid package and in your appliance manual, then run a hot, empty cycle. Don't guess at a dose.
The Kitchn tested citric acid among several dishwasher-cleaning methods. You can often find the powder with canning or baking supplies. It's also an option if you dislike vinegar's smell.
If all you have is baking soda, sprinkle about 1/2 cup on the bottom of an empty tub and run a hot cycle, if your model allows it. This may freshen stale odors, but it won't tackle hard-water scale like an acidic cleaner.
How do you get rid of a dishwasher smell?
Almost all of the times you have a smelly dishwasher, it will be due to one of four issues:
1) your dishwasher has a full filter, 2) you have food stuck in the well below the filter, 3) there is standing water inside the drain line connected to the dishwasher, or 4) the garbage disposal used by your kitchen shares the same drain line as your dishwasher.
Start with cleaning the filter; if the smell persists, continue down the list.
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Clean out both the filter and where the filter is located. Doing so will help eliminate many odors. Food that has become trapped in these areas is often what causes the odor.
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On most kitchen sinks, the dishwasher is connected to the garbage disposal. Prior to running the dishwasher, run the garbage disposal using cold water for 30 seconds. This will prevent wastewater from flowing back into the plumbing.
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Check the drain hose. Open the cabinet door beneath the sink. The dishwasher drain hose must be routed upwards into a high loop prior to being connected to the sink's drain or the garbage disposal. When the hose hangs down low, water will pool inside of it, causing an odor. You should clip the hose as high as possible beneath the countertop.
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Run the vinegar cycle, and then the baking soda cycle. Both will remove the film that causes odors to remain in the tub.
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Leave the door slightly open (or ajar) following every washing cycle. It's when you close the door on the washing machine that the odor can become stronger, even if it was just a faint smell at first. Just one inch of space between the door and the frame will allow air to circulate and keep the inside of the machine dry.
If you have completed the other five steps, and the odor returns after a short period of time, then there could be an issue with your drain. At the bottom of this page, there are instructions for checking your drain.
How often should you clean a dishwasher?
Clean the whole dishwasher about once a month, but check the filter weekly to monthly depending on use.
For a machine that runs daily, inspect the filter weekly, especially if dishes go in with food still on them. If you run fewer loads and scrape plates well, monthly may be enough.
Wipe the door seal when you see grime and check the spray arms if upper-rack dishes stop getting clean. Keep vinegar cycles to about once a month, where approved.
Hard water, a white film on glasses or a recurring smell may call for an earlier clean. Give the machine a thorough inspection when you move into a new home, too.
How do you keep a dishwasher clean between deep cleans?
Instead of washing your plates off first, scrape them. Do not block the detergent dispenser. Before starting the dishwasher, turn on the hot water. When the dishwasher has finished its cycle, leave the door open slightly. These four minor changes will make cleaning your dishwasher each month much faster.
Don't pre-rinse, scrape. Scrape food into the bin, then leave the plates alone. Many modern dishwashers can determine the amount of dirt on each dish and use this data to set the length of the washing process. When you pre-rinse your dishes, your dishwasher will think the load is already clean, resulting in a shorter wash cycle.
Keep the detergent compartment free. An item such as a large pan or cutting board propped on the inside of the door may prevent the compartment from being opened; therefore, no detergent is released into the water.
To get the most out of your dishwasher, run the hot water from the kitchen faucet until you can feel that it is warm, before turning on the dishwasher. This way, the initial amount of water used by the dishwasher will be hot instead of cold.
If you use hard water, you will want to use rinse aid. This can help prevent the water from forming spots on your glasses when it dries, as well as allowing the water to drain away more quickly from the surface of the glass.
After the cycle leave the door open slightly. This will allow the tub to dry and help prevent any unpleasant odors from forming.
And then, load your dishwasher and operate your next washing cycle normally using Dishwasher Detergent Eco-Tablets.
What should you avoid when cleaning a dishwasher?
Keep bleach, scrub pads, and stiff brushes away from the dishwasher and the gasket, and use caution with vinegar. Although the machine appears to be robust, its gasket and drum finishes are not.
Bleach with chlorine inside the tub. Bleach with chlorine inside the tub may cause harm to the machine, including its stainless interior.
Using scouring pads or steel wool will cause damage to the tub and inner surface of the door. The damage is what causes the buildup of dirt/grime.
Stiff brushes are used on the door gaskets. Rubber is easily damaged by being cut (or "nicked"), and if the gasket has a cut in it then it will leak. To clean the gasket you can use either a cloth or a soft toothbrush.
Vinegar more than once a month. See the vinegar section above.
Vinegar and baking soda in the same cycle. They cancel each other out.
FAQ
How often should you clean your dishwasher?
You should clean your dishwasher about once a month with a complete cleaning, including filter, seal, spray arm and an acid cycle. The filter can be cleaned weekly to monthly depending upon how often you use your machine. If you live in an area with hard water or if you begin to experience a foul odor, then you may want to consider cleaning the filter more frequently.
Do all dishwashers have a filter that needs to be cleaned out?
No, most dishwashers manufactured in the last 15 years or longer have a filter that can be removed and cleaned by hand. Many older model dishwashers use a grinder built into the machine as opposed to a filter that needs to be removed. The user manual for your dishwasher should tell you whether you have a removable filter or a grinder, and if it is a removable filter, then it is located at the bottom of the tub below the lower spray arm.
Can you put vinegar and baking soda in the dishwasher at the same time?
No, both of those items will react with one another, so neither can perform as expected. To do this process correctly you need to start by running a vinegar cycle. After that, run a short, hot cycle with baking soda on the bottom of the tub.
How do you clean a dishwasher filter without removing it?
You cannot perform this effectively. A rinse-in-place process will result in food being left within the mesh of the strainer and below the strainer. Most machines require only a few seconds to remove the filter by twisting it out, and it is in this location that the odor resides. Should your machine not allow for the filter to be removed by twisting, please refer to the user's manual to find how to release the filter and do not apply excessive force to remove the filter.
How do you clean a dishwasher drain?
To begin with, clear out the filter and the well below the filter because they are where the drain begins. After this is done, look under the sink to make sure that the drain hose forms a high loop prior to connecting to either the drain or disposal. You should then operate the disposal prior to running a cycle. If water remains in the bottom of your tub following a washing, there may be a blockage in either the hose or the drain line, and therefore you will require a plumber or appliance technician.
Why does my dishwasher still smell after cleaning it?
The odor is most likely not coming from the tub. You should check the area beneath the filter, the drain hose loop and the garbage disposal first, second and third respectively. If you leave the door of your dishwasher slightly open after each cycle it will help prevent the buildup of odors in the damp environment created when the tub is sealed.
A clean dishwasher is generally just a couple of minutes of cleaning the filter once a month. Once you have done that, leave the door slightly open, and you will typically find that the issue with odors will take care of itself. For other areas of kitchen maintenance, learn more about how to clean a Keurig and how to clean a washing machine.