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Our dishwashers play a fundamental role in our lives. They can save us hours of time in doing unpleasant chores such as washing dishes. But when used optimally, they can also lead to savings in energy and utility bills.
When your dishwasher is dirty on the inside, you’ll know. It may emit a funky smell, there may be food build-up in the filter of your machine, your cutlery and crockery may be covered with grease, there is food in the sprayer arm, rust build up and, of course – clogs.
For those who aren’t sure how frequently you should clean your dishwasher, this post is for you.
What does deep cleaning your dishwasher entail?
Deep cleaning your dishwasher requires a couple of different sets of processes instead of just spinning it on an empty cycle with detergent at high temperatures. In fact, there are several steps involved in terms of how to deep clean a dishwasher. Take a look below.
- Remove food residue
To ensure that your dishwasher is functioning optimally, one of the first things you can do before even switching on the start button is to scrape off any food debris and residue off your plates. This can help prevent blockages of your filter further down the road.
- Top up your dishwasher salt
The second step to ensuring a clean dishwasher on the inside is to keep it topped up with salt. Why is this important? Because it helps to soften the effects of hard water build up (which ultimately helps when you descale your dishwasher) and it also keeps the dishwasher clean because it stops bacteria build up, too.
- Check the spray arms for blockages
Depending on how frequently you use your dishwasher, you may also want to ensure that you remove the spray arms occasionally. They should then be rinsed and washed with a solution of washing up liquid and water. It’s also a good idea at this stage to check for small food items that may block the jets.
- Clean the filter
The filter is easy to locate and even easier to clean. Because it prevents food particles from entering the dishwasher system, causing blockages, the filter plays an important role. As such, you should consider cleaning the filter by placing it under running water after each use.
- Use bicarbonate of soda to clean it
Running an empty cycle with a few tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda that’s sprinkled at the bottom of your dishwasher is a great way of keeping your machine clean and also one way as to how to stop your dishwasher from smelling.
What are the benefits?
Taking the steps mentioned above has its benefits for your machine. It not only results in increased longevity.
It also leads to a better economy of the dishwasher and ultimately, reduced costs for you in terms of dishwasher maintenance and repairs over the long run.
How often should you deep clean your dishwasher?
With that being said, you’re now wondering how often you should deep clean your dishwasher.
The answer is that it varies depending on how frequently you use it and the type of load – light or heavy – that you tend to generally put in the appliance.
When it comes to cleaning the dishwasher’s filter, you need to give it a clean after each cycle.
As for deep cleaning the interior, it is recommended that you clean it every one to three months – depending on usage and load levels.
For infrequent use, consider deep cleaning your dishwasher around four times a year, or every quarter.
In conclusion
A clean dishwasher will go a long way to lasting you longer. In fact, when maintained well, dishwashers (depending on their make and model) can last for up to 15 years. But since this appliance is a costly investment in your home, you need to ensure it lasts as long as possible. This is done through regular deep cleans.
The alternative is clogged filters, broken spray arms, dirty dishes and cutlery and low-economy usage that leads to higher utility bills. This can often result in the need for maintenance and Miele dishwasher repairs.
If that’s the case, then you know who you can trust with your challenge. Simply get in touch with us at Domex and we’ll quickly and efficiently diagnose the problem, address it and leave you with a well-functioning appliance once again.
So, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.