Caring For The Dishwasher Properly: These Household Remedies Make It Work

Caring for the dishwasher – general information on maintenance

In order for your dishwasher to get your dishes clean, you should pay attention to some general information.

• The rinsing process works best with soft water, which is also low in lime. Since the water hardness is not the same everywhere, a so-called ion exchanger is built into the dishwasher, which removes limescale from the water. However, the dishwasher needs regeneration salt for this, which you have to fill in regularly. Either your dishwasher has its own display for this or you follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Run an idle rinse cycle at least 60°C about once a month. Some dishwashers also have special cleaning programs. Please see below for more information.
• Also, don’t forget to refill your rinse aid regularly, which you can easily make yourself. Your device either has a display for this or you can get the information from the manufacturer’s information. Overall, the rinse aid serves to ensure that no water stains remain on your dishes after the rinsing process and that they dry faster.
• Also remember to regularly remove food residue from the sieve and filter. We will explain to you in a moment how this works best.

Maintain the dishwasher – these home remedies will help

This is annoying: the new dishwasher cleans the dishes really well, but after using it for a while you realize that some of your dishes are still dirty when you take them out of the appliance.

• This is mainly because your dishwasher has not been maintained. In order for your dishes to get really clean, it is important to take proper care of the dishwasher. This not only ensures clean dishes, but also a longer service life for the device.
• The filter and sieve must be removed and cleaned regularly. It is best to use a small brush and a lemon cleaner for this. You can make this at home with very simple household items. All you need is some vinegar essence, water, and citrus peel.
• The spray arms can also become clogged with leftover food and thus impair the rinsing process. Remove these and clean them with a strong jet of water. A toothpick can also help to remove dirt. Some spray arms can even be opened, which makes cleaning a lot easier.
• When cleaning, you do not have to resort to expensive special cleaners, but can use baking soda and vinegar for cleaning. To do this, sprinkle one or two tablespoons of baking soda on the bottom of the dishwasher and add some vinegar to the powder compartment. Then start a rinse cycle without a pre-rinse, preferably at a high temperature. Do not open the dishwasher after washing until it has cooled down.
• It is not only important to clean the inside of the dishwasher, but also the outside. Rubber seals in particular are prone to food residue and mold growth due to their narrow grooves. Therefore, you should also clean them regularly. You can use a vinegar cleaner to do this.
• If no lime deposits have formed yet, you can put lemon peel in the cutlery basket and start the rinsing process. However, you should avoid this if you can already see limescale, as citric acid forms calcium citrate with limescale at high temperatures, which is even more difficult to remove than limescale.