Alternative Products for Cleaning a Dishwasher

Dishwasher cleaning is often taken for granted. It is only when the dishwasher has completed a cycle and the dishes come out spotted and filmy that you begin to consider what you can do to keep the actual appliance clean. While the dishwasher may seem like it should clean itself, food remnants can get trapped in the dishwasher over time, affecting its performance. Without regular maintenence, hard water and rusting can also contribute to this problem. A good cleaning will help the dishwasher to run more efficiently and to keep it shiny and new.

Cleaning Products

Customary detergent used to clean your dishes will also clean the interior of the dishwasher, but there are also alternative products and methods that can effectively remove hard water deposits, scaling, etc., that accumulate. One method that works effectively is to run your dishwasher for a cycle without dishes in it. Another is to check the food purging hose used by some dishwasher models. This hose at times becomes clogged with remnants of food left on dishes placed in the dishwasher. You will need to check this hose at regular intervals to be sure it is not clogged with food.

Still, whether you use chemical or natural detergent, there will be times when you will need special, alternative products to thoroughly clean the interior of your dishwasher. Consider the following to get the job done.

1 - Powdered Beverage Mix

Fill the detergent compartments with a powdered mix such as lemonade (without sugar). The citric acid in this product will help clean your dishwasher. Run the dishwasher empty for a full cycle with this powder in it. Be sure the powder doesn’t have food coloring in it that will discolor your dishwasher. Fill the detergent compartments and pour the rest of the powdered beverage in the bottom of the dishwasher

2 – Lemon Juice

Place a cup of lemon juice (fresh or bottled) on the top rack of your dishwasher, face up, and run your dishwasher through a cycle without dishes.

3 - Distilled White Vinegar

Fill both detergent compartments in the dishwasher with distilled white vinegar, then run your dishwasher through a cycle without dishes. Better yet, use a cup of vinegar and fill one of the dishwasher's dispenser cups with baking soda. .

4 – Liquid Bleach

After emptying dishes from the dishwasher, run it one full cycle with a tablespoon of liquid bleach in the detergent container. (If your dishwasher has stainless steel components, do not use this product). The bleach will remove any discoloration, and the dishwasher will be shiny and sparkling. A tablespoon of bleach in one detergent compartment and distilled vinegar in the other will sanitize your dishes and keep them from spotting.