Special products for cleaning
To clean the dishwasher at home, it is best to choose a special product designed for this purpose.
First of all, the use of this product will prolong the work of the machine, because the composition is chosen such that it will not harm the technique and its parts that cannot be removed for washing.
The price of such means is usually not the lowest, so it is important to pay attention to the composition, not only for the safety of the machine, but also for your own safety. Unscrupulous manufacturers can substitute a detergent with aggressive chemicals, dangerous for human health.
Special products are easy to apply. They are poured into the powder compartment and clean the car in wash mode.
Limescale and Grease Treatments
Often, special products for dishwashers are already predisposed to clean grease and limescale, their main task is to completely clean the dishwasher.
The following brands can be used for this purpose:
How to Clean Your Dishwasher with Baking Soda and Vinegar
How to get rid of mold and rust in a dishwasher?
Visible dirt of the dishwasher is also represented by rust and mold. You can easily get rid of the latter even with an industrial bleach, but this process negatively affects the internal components of the equipment. Therefore, do not tumble the machine to this condition. However, if the problem still occurred, at home you can clean the dishwasher from mold by means of any bleach in the form of gel. To do this, you need to spread the product evenly on a rubberized sponge, and then wipe all the areas affected by the fungus well. Afterwards, rinse the machine well with water to get rid of the bleach residue. In the fight against fungus and mold can also help and dishwashing detergent, but its properties are not always enough.
Advice! To avoid mold growth, open the dishwasher door after each use until the chamber dries.
As for rust, it can appear due to iron oxidation. For new appliances such a problem is not terrible, but the old paint can gradually come off. Eliminate rust when cleaning the dishwasher can special anti-corrosion compositions. Use them to treat the chamber, baskets and other metal parts of the machine in the way described in the instructions.
Protect your dishwasher from the subsequent appearance of rust by using special sealants. They need to be used to refresh the peeling coating. Additionally, specialists recommend installing special water filters on the inlets. Such devices prevent large amounts of iron found in rusty piping from entering the dishwasher.
Mechanical cleaning of assemblies, parts and surfaces
The more often the dishwasher is used, the more often it needs to be cleaned. For example, if you use the washer-dryer daily, experts recommend cleaning it once every 12-15 days. In addition to food residue, the machine can also accumulate scale, because the hardness of water in the water supply is often quite high. These factors need to be taken into account so that your kitchen helper will serve you long and trouble-free.
If you don’t clean your dishwasher, it gives off an unpleasant smell
Dishwasher grease and limescale can be removed both with common folk remedies and with chemicals especially designed for Dishwashers.
Removing dirt from the filters
Each dishwasher has a combined coarse and fine filter. It is located in the base of the cooking cabinet, next to the spray fan (hereinafter also referred to as the sprayer). The filter elements need to be cleaned regularly to remove dirt and food debris. If you use the automatic dishwasher daily, it is necessary to clean the filter itself after 5-6 times, but no less often.
You have to remove the dirt from the mesh around the filter
Cleaning the filter element is simple:
- Turn off the dishwasher.
- Remove the lower basket from the cooking cabinet and use a sponge to remove the liquid residues from the bottom. If there is dirt on the framing grid, remove it (see the section “Dishwasher filter”). photo).
- Locate the filter near the atomizer and turn it counterclockwise by 90°. On some models the filter cup simply needs to be pulled upwards.
- Check that there are no dirt and solid food remains in the opening under the strainer. If there are any, remove them from there and also remove the remains of water with a sponge.
- Check whether the pump impeller rotates properly. To do this unscrew the screw, remove the cover that covers it. Do not allow small objects to get under the impeller and jam it.
- Rinse all filter components in warm water together with a detergent capable of dissolving grease. In case of heavy soiling, use vinegar or citric acid. Make sure the fine mesh cells are free of dirt and grease.
Pre- and fine filter cups in Bosch Bosch washer-dryers
In addition to the drain strainers, it is necessary to regularly check the inlet strainers located at the inlet of the body of the PM machine and at the inlet of the inlet hose on the water supply side. These parts prevent rust from pipes and other dirt from getting into the machine.
Cleaning the spray nozzles
No matter how well the filter reduces the degree of water pollution, small particles can still pass through the fine mesh. If lime scale is added, it can collectively clog the holes in the atomizing arm. Therefore, their visual inspection and periodic cleaning is also necessary.
Sprayer nozzles that need to be checked and cleaned from time to time
The cleanliness of the nozzles in the rocker arms determines the quality of washing the kitchen utensils. Therefore, periodically perform the following procedure:
- Remove the upper basket to which the spray arm is fastened.
- Remove the atomiser bead by pulling the catches.
- Remove the lower basket and remove the lower spray arm.
- Remove grease deposits by washing the blades with water and detergent. Check the condition of the holes by running a jet of water into the atomizers. Clean plugged holes with a toothpick or similar tool.
- Reverse the installation procedure.
Removing the upper spray arm
If you have trouble removing the spray arms, refer to the instruction manual for your washer-dryer.
Remove dirt from the baskets
Heavy plaque and limescale deposits are difficult to remove from the baskets. To make things easier, use one of the commercially available oven cleaners (see below).
- Place the baskets in a large container so that they can be completely emptied.
- Fill with boiling water and add detergent.
- Leave to soak until the water cools.
- Now use a soft brush to remove the remaining softened dirt.
Cleaning the dirt basket with a toothbrush
Cleaning the dead space in the door and door seal
Unfortunately, it is not possible by design to properly rinse dirt from the bottom of the inside of the door. That’s why food waste deposits accumulate there. To get rid of them, wipe the area with a sponge dipped in a soapy solution, then wipe dry and rinse with vinegar to kill the bacteria.
The “dead” zone on the inside of the door, which also requires regular maintenance
If the rubber seal around the door is not heavily soiled, it is sufficient to wipe it with a cloth dampened with a solution of a preparation specially designed for washing machine maintenance. Remove stubborn dirt with a soft brush, such as a toothbrush. Other common remedies such as soap, vinegar, or citric acid are not recommended because they can damage the elastic material.
Cleaning and disinfecting the camera
To clean the inside of the dishwasher, sponge the entire interior with a dishwashing detergent solution that dissolves grease deposits. Pay special attention to hard-to-reach corners, where the most dirt accumulates. Dishwasher care products can be used.
Cleaning the oven cavity of a dishwasher
The door must be opened regularly to ventilate the appliance so that there is an unpleasant odour. In severe cases, bleach can help get rid of mold. But it must be used with extreme caution, as this compound is chemically active. It can even damage the metal parts inside the oven, not to mention the gaskets and the plastic details.
How to descale your dishwasher
Dishwasher descaling should not be done more often than once in 3 months. Do not disassemble the appliance. this could compromise the connections and short out the wiring. Clean and rinse the heaters with acids. Work on a high temperature mode and additionally rinse out products.
Vinegar
The appliance operates normally with the detergent always in use. After stopping the machine:
- The tray is pulled out;
- Pour 400-450 ml of vinegar (it is better to use 9%) into the bottom;
- The machine is put on heat;
- When the temperature increases, wait 40 min to 8 h.
The dishwasher switches off at the end of the program.
Need sodium borate, which you can buy at the drugstore:
- Powdered detergent is diluted in water, and then all work surfaces are wiped with it;
- Sodium borate is diluted with water 1:5;
- The solution is poured into the container for the detergent.
The technique works in the standard mode until a full stop.
Citric acid
The tool is used to combat scale, grease, mold:
- For minimal to medium scale, 200-300 grams of citric acid will be needed;
- In the case of heavy soiling use 300-400 g of lemon powder;
- The product is poured into the compartment for the cleaner;
- The intensive mode is started until it is completed.
After the end of the program rinse repeatedly with water.
Antikiping
The chemical can be purchased in a hardware store. The composition has a gel-like form, so it is very economical. Use the descaler strictly according to the instructions. If the machine is equipped with a water hardness adjustment function, switch it to the background program.
Important! If the water drains poorly, you need to remove the detached plaque from the hose.
Dishwasher cleaning algorithm
Once all removable elements have been removed, you can proceed to clean the inside of the appliance. To do this:
- Check the condition of the water intake holes. If you notice that there is some debris stuck in them, try not to push it inside the machine, but carefully remove it with tweezers or a hook made of thick wire.
- From the inside, spread a thin layer of detergent on the machine walls and door, working particularly carefully in all corners and joints. These are the places where small food particles accumulate most often, washed off plates placed in the dishwasher. If necessary, use a soft sponge or an old toothbrush.
- Hand-wash the bottom tray.
- Rinse previously soaked baskets and shelves under running water. If any dirt is left on their surface, remove it with an abrasive dish sponge.
- The last step is to clean the filter, grate and sprinklers. Clean all parts with a special dishwashing detergent or just rinse with soap and water. Clean the water supply and mounting holes.
After all the manipulation, thoroughly rinse all the cavities and machine parts with clean water to remove any residual surfactants, and wipe them dry with a clean, soft, lint-free cloth.
Household chemicals
This is a list of the most popular products, but you can find many more options in stores:
- Calgonit Fusion Power Finish (liquid);
- Finish Rinse (liquid);
- UniPlus (liquid);
- Paclan Brileo;
- Claro;
- Frosch Soda;
- Rinnova Lavastoviglie (liquid).
How to use each product, see the instructions.
What to do before cleaning the dishwasher?
- Check that the water supply hose is blocked with a valve.
- Unplug the unit from the socket.
- Remove the baskets.
- Remove the blades.
- Remove large particles of food that stick to the walls, doors of the machine.
To clean the dishwasher at home, prepare what you need:
Using chemicals
While you can get rid of fresh dirt with a cloth and a rust remover, to remove old rust we recommend using an anti-corrosion agent.
“Finish” in bottles is a quality dishwasher cleaner. It should be placed in the tray with the throat facing down. Next, you need to run the machine on a full cycle, setting the temperature to 65 degrees.
Let’s take a look at the most popular chemicals for removing grease and limescale.
- “Finish Cleaner” is a common product that cleans the insides well of white plaque, grease and musty odor.
- “Anti-Calc,” a dishwasher cleaning sand. Removes limescale.
- “Filtero”. dishwasher detergent. Removes grease and limescale.
- “Electrolux” is a liquid that can remove small pieces of food. It’s also available in powder form, which works really well on limescale and leaves a nice after-smell.
A Complete Dishwasher Cleaner in 7 Steps
At first it may seem that dishwashers do not need special care, because it looks clean for quite a long time. But in fact, with every wash cycle, working parts are inevitably contaminated by hard water deposits, food and detergent residue. Scale and grease buildup gradually lead to breakdowns or inefficient operation. That’s why cleaning the dishwasher (hereinafter referred to as the “dishwasher“) is a basic requirement for its long life.
Let’s find out how to clean your dishwasher in just 7 easy steps at home. But keep in mind that this is an example of a complete set of procedures, which, of course, do not always need to be performed in full. In addition, some procedures should be performed regularly and some only when a problem arises.