Your dishwasher cleans your dishes every day. No one cleans the dishwasher. That is why it smells, and why your glasses come out with white spots and film that a rinse cycle should have handled.
There are three spots inside a dishwasher that most owners have never cleaned once, and all three contribute to odor and poor cleaning performance. The fix takes about 30 minutes and costs nothing beyond white vinegar and baking soda you likely already have.
The Filter
The dishwasher filter sits at the bottom of the appliance under the lower spray arm. It collects food particles from every wash cycle. If you have never cleaned it, it has been accumulating food residue since the dishwasher was installed.
On most models, the filter removes by twisting counterclockwise. Pull it out and rinse it under hot running water. You will see immediately how much debris has been sitting there. Scrub it with a soft brush and a drop of dish soap to remove the grease and food film, rinse thoroughly, and replace it. In many households, cleaning the filter alone eliminates most of the dishwasher odor within the next run.
Clean the filter monthly. Once it is a regular habit, each cleaning takes about two minutes.
The Spray Arms
The spinning arms that spray water onto your dishes have small holes along their length. These holes clog over time with mineral deposits and small food particles — and clogged holes mean uneven water distribution, which is why some dishes in certain rack positions come out dirty or spotted while others are clean.
Remove the spray arms by pulling or unscrewing them (method varies by model — most pull straight up or unscrew counterclockwise). Rinse under hot water and use a toothpick to clear each spray hole. Hold the arm up to light to confirm the holes are open. Rinse again and replace. Dishwasher cleaner tablets on Amazon can help maintain clear spray holes between manual cleanings. Plant Paper also offers eco-friendly dishwasher cleaning products worth checking for a more sustainable routine.
The Door Seal and Edges
The rubber gasket around the dishwasher door catches food debris in its folds — particularly along the bottom where water and residue pool. Wipe the entire gasket with a damp cloth and a small amount of dish soap. A toothbrush reaches the folded sections that a cloth cannot fully contact. This gasket is also where mold can grow if it stays damp, so drying it after cleaning and leaving the dishwasher door slightly open between cycles prevents regrowth.
The Cleaning Cycles
After physically cleaning the filter, arms, and seal, run two consecutive empty cycles to clean the interior surfaces.
For the first cycle, place a dishwasher-safe bowl filled with two cups of white vinegar on the top rack. Run the hottest cycle available. The vinegar steam deodorizes the interior, dissolves mineral deposits on the walls and heating element, and loosens grease film on the interior surfaces.
For the second cycle, sprinkle half a cup of baking soda across the bottom of the dishwasher floor. Run a short hot cycle. The baking soda removes any remaining odors and leaves the interior fresh. Do not combine the vinegar and baking soda in the same cycle — run them separately.
The Rinse Aid Dispenser
If your dishes come out with white spots or a cloudy film even after a full clean, check the rinse aid dispenser. Rinse aid prevents mineral deposits from drying onto dishes during the heated drying cycle. An empty rinse aid dispenser is the most common cause of spotted glasses. Fill it and the spotting typically stops within one or two cycles.
Hard water households may need to increase the rinse aid dosage setting in the dishwasher’s settings menu. Most dishwashers have an adjustable rinse aid dispense amount that defaults to a setting appropriate for average water hardness.
For related appliance cleaning guides, the refrigerator deep clean guide and the microwave cleaning guide cover the other kitchen appliances that need periodic attention. The stainless steel appliance guide addresses the exterior cleaning. For cleaning the floors around the dishwasher and the rest of the kitchen, the tile floor guide covers the method for kitchen floors. And for general non-toxic cleaning options, the eco-friendly cleaning products breakdown has the full list.
