Did You Think To Wash Your Dishwasher?

I read a post the other day and it got me thinking, "Have I ever cleaned my dishwasher?" Of course, I clean the outside, but what about the inside?

I was knocking around in the kitchen anyway, so I decided to give it a wash. It is Sissy's month for dishes, so I had her put away all the clean dishes. Once the dishwasher was cleared out, I took a pint jar and filled it with white vinegar. I placed it on the top shelf and closed the door. I turned the dishwasher to the heaviest load and the hottest temperature settings and turned it on.

Let me tell you, it smelled fantastic when it was done. I hadn't realized there had been any bad odors until it smelled good. The inside sparkled. I took a rag and wiped out any gunk buildup around the edges and on the door. I scrubbed the door itself, inside and out. If you have a trap, make sure to clean it out.

And that's all there was to it. Now I have a clean dishwasher, inside and out. I can rest assured that my dishes are getting their cleanest.

On a side note, I came across some interesting information. I have found that many experts and repairmen recommend that if you have soft water that you absolutely do not want to use gel detergent. It significantly cuts down the life of your machine. Also, if you have soft water, do NOT use a rinse aid. Both of these things will gunk up your dishwasher and cause problems. Use a powdered soap and vinegar. Put vinegar in your rinse aid compartment.

I have hard water, but I still plan to use vinegar and powdered soap from now on.

Now, go clean your dishwasher!