Even if you don’t believe it, your dishwasher needs maintenance. The reason is simple. The grease and residues left on the dinnerware are usually jammed in the drain or at the bottom of the appliance, which may cause your appliance to stop working properly in the long run.

The only way to extend the life of your appliances is maintenance. That’s why today we’re going to share with you 4 simple steps that’ll help you keep your dishwasher as shiny as the dishes, glasses, and cutlery you wash in it.

Step-by-step cleaning

For the following steps you need to have a couple things handy: cleaning gloves (rubber ones), vinegar, baking soda and a small cloth, cotton, or a sponge.

Step 1. Cleaning the exterior. The dishwasher door is usually full of grease, so we recommend using a grease cleaner or as we frequently mention, opting for a mixture of water, baking soda and vinegar in a spray container. This will help you remove the grease with the help of a sponge. After this, don’t forget to dry the surface with a cloth.

But cleaning the door doesn’t end there. The rubber of the equipment and the sides usually accumulate dirt. This can be easily cleaned with hot water and a brush or simply with the mixture described above and a sponge to help you remove any grease remains.

An important step is drying. Always clean and dry.

Step 2. Cleaning the interior.  This should be done after each washing cycle and after the equipment has cooled down. But this step it’s often forgotten and that explains why suddenly your cutlery or dishes aren’t as clean as they should be.

The reason behind it? Dirt or debris accumulate on the bottom of the appliance, and then they mix with soap and water, leaving a dirty film stamped on anything placed into the appliance. So, the solution is to first leave the appliance free of accessories, clean the bottom and filter area, and verify that the sprinkler arms don’t have any obstructions.

There are two important elements to clean in this step: the filter and the drain. But before you get “creative” or try to move any parts, you must consult the user manual of the appliance. There are always important maintenance recommendations that you should consider.

Following these instructions, remove both elements, clean anything that obstructs their proper functioning: soap residues, grease, food scraps. You have no idea what you may find, but the important thing is that these elements are free to do their job. Again, we remind you to use gloves and the combination of water, baking soda and vinegar to clean the filter and the drain.

Step 3. The accessories. Carefully remove the trays and cutlery holder. Clean them with an old toothbrush and the mixture we mentioned before. Remember to dry everything when you finish.

Step 4. Final cleaning.  Put back all the accessories inside the appliance. First the top tray or shelf and place on it a glass cup filled with water and vinegar. Then, before inserting the bottom tray, cover the bottom of the dishwasher with baking soda.

Schedule a short wash cycle at the highest temperature. The vinegar mixed with hot water will disinfect everything and remove any grease and dirt left. The baking soda, on the other hand, will help refresh the smell of the dishwasher and remove any stains.

As you can see, these are 4 simple steps that you can do on a Sunday so that every Monday you have a dishwasher that seems brand new.