How to Clean a Dishwasher
Deep clean and deodorize your dishwasher by clearing spray arms, scrubbing the drain filter, and running vinegar and baking soda cycles to remove scale and odors.
- Read the tools, materials, safety notes, and steps below for free.
- Tap Start Camera Coach when you want hands-free voice help.
- Allow camera and microphone. Point your phone at the work; the coach watches your progress and tells you the next step.
🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Old toothbrush
- ✓ Toothpick or straightened paperclip
- ✓ Microfiber cloth
- ✓ Sponge
- ✓ Dishwasher-safe bowl or measuring cup
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Distilled white vinegar (2 cups)
- ✓ Baking soda (1 cup)
- ✓ Mild liquid dish soap
- ✓ Warm water
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Allow the dishwasher to cool completely before touching the interior or heating elements.
- • Inspect the drain well carefully with a flashlight before reaching in; broken glass often collects in the filter.
- • Never mix vinegar and chlorine bleach, as this produces toxic chlorine gas.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Empty and Remove the Racks
Ensure the dishwasher is completely empty of dishes. Pull the bottom rack straight out and lift it free from the tracks. Slide the top rack out past its retention clips or stops to remove it if possible, giving full access to the tub floor.
- • Dishwasher tub is completely bare with no dishware or bottom rack present
- • Floor of the dishwasher is fully visible
- • Leaving the bottom rack in, which restricts access to the filter and spray arm
Clear the Spray Arm Nozzles
Unscrew or unclip the lower and upper spray arms according to your model's mechanism. Inspect each tiny nozzle hole for mineral scale or food particles. Poke out blockages using a toothpick or paperclip, then rinse the arms thoroughly under a running faucet.
- • Toothpick passing cleanly through each nozzle hole
- • Water flowing freely through all spray arm holes when tested under the tap
- • Forcing a thick metal tool into nozzles, which can enlarge or deform the plastic spray holes
Remove and Scrub the Drain Filter
Turn the cylindrical filter counterclockwise (usually a quarter turn) and lift it out, followed by the flat mesh plate. Rinse both parts under warm running water. Apply dish soap and gently scrub the fine mesh screens with an old toothbrush to dissolve grease and calcium buildup.
- • Filter mesh is completely translucent when held up to a light source
- • No greasy yellow or gray film remaining on the cylindrical screen
- • Using wire brushes that tear the delicate mesh screen
- • Failing to remove the flat metal/plastic base plate beneath the cylinder
Wipe Down Door Seals and Edges
Dip a microfiber cloth in warm water mixed with a few drops of dish soap. Thoroughly wipe down the rubber perimeter gasket, the bottom lip of the door, and the interior door frame where water sprays cannot reach. Use a toothbrush to dislodge black mildew trapped in gasket folds.
- • Rubber gasket is completely free of black grime and residue
- • Door threshold and hinge recesses are clean and dry
- • Overlooking the hidden underside of the door where splashback residue collects
Run a Hot Vinegar Wash Cycle
Reinstall the filter, spray arms, and racks. Place a dishwasher-safe cup filled with 2 cups of white vinegar upright on the center of the top rack. Close the door and run a normal or heavy wash cycle with the hottest water setting, without any detergent or other dishes.
- • Dishwasher running full cycle with vinegar container secured upright
- • Steam and fresh vinegar scent upon cycle completion with sparkling tub walls
- • Pouring vinegar directly into the detergent dispenser, which releases it too early in the pre-wash rinse
Run a Short Baking Soda Cycle
After the vinegar cycle finishes, sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda evenly across the entire floor of the dishwasher tub. Run a short, hot water cycle. The baking soda will neutralize residual acid, lift lingering stains, and leave the interior deodorized.
- • White baking soda powder evenly distributed across the stainless/plastic tub bottom
- • Tub interior completely bright, clean, and odor-free after the cycle completes
- • Running baking soda and vinegar in the same cycle, which neutralizes both before they can clean
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Roto-Rooter — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Old toothbrush? Small nylon detailing brush or soft bottle brush
- No Toothpick? Straightened paperclip or sewing needle
- No Distilled white vinegar? Commercial dishwasher cleaner tablet or citric acid crystals