how to clean a dishwasher

theskintfamily

morning, is there an OS way of cleaning my dishwasher? i usually buy those little bottles that you put inthe cutlery rack, but their a bit pricey and was wondering if there was a cheaper alternative.

thanks x

floyd

Throw a handful of soda crystals in the main chamber and put it on its hottest wash while empty. Do the same with my washing machine as well and it always seems to work

ubamother

aldi sell them in packs of two - i can't remember how much - maybe around £3 for 2? I know a lot of people advocate vinegar and that is what I use in my washing machine - but according to my new dw's instructions, using vinegar in it will invalidate the warranty - perhaps it rots something - or perhaps they're just in league with the dw cleaner manufacturers!

lill

ubamother wrote: »

I know a lot of people advocate vinegar and that is what I use in my washing machine - but according to my new dw's instructions, using vinegar in it will invalidate the warranty - perhaps it rots something - or perhaps they're just in league with the dw cleaner manufacturers!

It does rot something, I put some in the rinse aid part of my dishwasher and the rubber seal went all buckled and some sort of jell liquid seeped out of it...

Nicki

theskintfamily wrote: »

morning, is there an OS way of cleaning my dishwasher? i usually buy those little bottles that you put inthe cutlery rack, but their a bit pricey and was wondering if there was a cheaper alternative.

thanks x

Sainsburys do a pack of 8 dishwasher cleaning tablets. You pop them in the cutlery basket and run a hot wash and they are as good as the Finish Bottles in the cutlery rack and much cheaper (though I can't remember how much they actually cost, duh!)

beautiful_ravens

:rotfl: I pop my dishwasher in the bath, rub shower gel on him, rinse with a jug of water and then fuzz him up with a scratchy towel!!
(sorry, I just couldnt resist!!):rotfl:

Penelope_Penguin

theskintfamily wrote: »

morning, is there an OS way of cleaning my dishwasher? i usually buy those little bottles that you put inthe cutlery rack, but their a bit pricey and was wondering if there was a cheaper alternative.

thanks x

We have an existing thread on this subject, so I'll merge the threads to keep ideas together

Penny. x

SunnyGirl

Once a week, usually after Sunday dinner's load, I run a hot wash with a couple of table spoons of bleach in a bowl in the bottom of the dish washer. I give all the seals, the food trap & the insides a good wash down first. It keeps it really clean & smelling fresh. I've had it for 4yrs now & no problems doing this, in fact I think I read it in a Good Housekeeping magazine in the doctor's once. HTH

theskintfamily

thank you all for your replies - I filled a cup with vinegar and it seems to have done the trick!

ls5596

Hi all, I regularly view moneysavingexpert but this is my first post!!

For people like me who like to watch things done before doing, I recommend the VideoJug video:

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-clean-your-dishwasher-with-vinegar

Earlier, one member was concerned about lemon bits in her dishwasher. Don't give up: using used lemon/lime makes it smell soo fresh! Aside from just using rinds, I use a stainless steel mesh tea ball infuser (I also use this to make DIY mulled wine at Christmas, as well as in other cooking where I want something to add to the flavour but not be part of the result). I found it a great investment and you do not have to worry about any bits! I can just chuck in any bit of used lamon I have without scraping the bits out. I place the lemon inside the ball an then pop the ball either in the cutlery cage or on my top level, so theres no chance of it rolling about and getting damaged. I've had mine for years. Many places stock it online, I am not sure of the technical term, but google combinations of "mesh" "tea" "ball" "infuser" bring up various options from about £1.20 plus P&P. If anyone knows of any supermarkets etc that stock these, that might be useful. I am advised that some specialist asian shops do these in various sizes.

A cheaper option would be to make your own mesh - e.g. my sister uses a doubled up old (washed!) pair of tights, sealed with a rubber band and placed in the cutlery cage. Muslin, cotton, etc would work just as well I would think. Even (yuk!) a clean cotton sock:eek:!

I often favour prevention over cure, though do not always live up to this philisophy! I have no children yet, so generally handwashing suits me and my occasional perfectionistic tendencies, however I have lived in many shared houses, and realise that when cooking for many, a dishwasher is a necessity for one's sanity (not to mention nails). I have found that having a house rule where you scrape properly, rinse food bits, prior to loading, and handwash the dirtiest and burnt-on items requires minimal dishwasher cleaning. Some of my shared houses that didn't have this rule left dishwasher cleaning a truly stomach-churning experience!!!