How to Clean your Dishwasher Naturally

Hello Friends!  Today I’m going to talk about what is likely to be one of the most neglected appliances in your kitchen, your dishwasher.  Without proper care, the inside of your dishwasher can develop a musty smell and the filter can become clogged with food particles, dirt, hair, and the like ..yuck.  To clean your dishwasher you’ll need a few basic household items, a scrub brush, and sponge.  I also wear rubber gloves so my hands aren’t touching the debris hiding in the filter.

You will need the following items:

1. White vinegar
2. Baking soda
3. A small measuring container
4. One or two sponges
5. A scrubbing brush
6. Disinfectant wipes

Open the door of your dishwasher and take a peak at the bottom.  You’ll see the spinner where the water comes out and a circular filter.  Gentle pull the filter out.  If you haven’t cleaned the filter in a while you might need to wiggle it out.  If you’d like to skip the next sequence on my blog and go right to the video below, go for it.

Clean the inside of the dishwasher with 1/3 cup baking soda and a splash of white vinegar or gentle soap after you’ve removed your filter.  Use a natural spray for the in and outside of the dishwasher door.

I like to use a sponge and a saucepan brush to clean the mesh filter.  My filter isn’t very dirty because I clean it regularly, but if you go to the next photo, you will see my neighbor’s filter.  It hasn’t been cleaned in a LONG TIME!

Disgusting right? There is no way you want to be washing your dishes with a filter that looks like that!

Once your filter is clean, put it back in your dishwasher.  Because this process is easier to actually see being done, I’ve created a video for you to watch.

Common Questions:

1. Why isn’t my filter coming out?  All filters should come out for cleaning.  If your filter isn’t coming out it’s probably stuck with debris.  Gently keep nudging and twisting it until it comes out.
2. How often do you need to clean your dishwasher?  Give the inside of your dishwasher a wipe down with a nontoxic cleaner every week.  Clean the filter monthly if you can.
3. What should I clean my filter and and rubber rim with?  I recommend nontoxic, gentle cleaners to clean your dishwasher and rubber seals.  If you use too much in the way of harsh cleaners (bleach for example) you will hurt the finish on your appliances and eat away at the rubber seals.
4. What products do you recommend?  I purchase all of my products from Grove Collaborative.  This is an on line company that delivers whatever cleaning products I need.  I can order whenever I want, the prices are good, and all of their products are ECO friendly.  Use my link (here) for some free product with your first order!
5. Do dishes need to be rinsed prior to going in the dishwasher?  This is a personal preference question.  I like to remove visible food and allow my dishwasher to sterilize my dishes.

Thank you so much for stopping by! This post contains affiliate links which means that if you were to make a purchase using one of my links I would receive a small amount of compensation. I only link to products that I personally own, or know and love.

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I hope picked up a few helpful cleaning tips today!  Please leave a comment below if you have any questions and I’m happy to help.