The dishwasher is burdened with the thankless task of cleaning dirty dishes. It’s one of the most functional plumbing appliances in the house. But like all other plumbing appliances, dishwashers have their own problems and issues. For starters, the dishwasher can fail to do its job properly. A faulty dishwasher will not clean dishes properly. Secondly, your dishwasher can start leaking. Thirdly, if you do not clean your dishwasher properly, it can start producing bad odors. If your dishwasher is not cleaning your dishes properly, then it means that it’s malfunctioning in one or several areas. It could be a problem with the detergent or the water supply nozzles. You can fix this problem by cleaning your dishwasher thoroughly or by calling a professional plumber for assistance. If your dishwasher is leaking, then you need to inspect it carefully to identify the source of the leak. You can then call any reliable San Diego plumbing company to help you fix the problem. But if your dishwasher is producing bad odors, then you need to clean it properly. Use the following tips to clean your dishwasher properly and get rid of those foul smells.
Thorough And Regular Cleanup
You should make a point of cleaning your dishwasher regularly and thoroughly. At face value, this does not make a lot of sense. Considering that the dishwasher cleans other things, you would expect it to remain clean or even to clean itself. But believe it or not, your dishwasher gets dirty like everything else. The food particles and the grime produced when cleaning the dishes builds up inside the dishwasher making it very dirty. You should clean your dishwasher carefully to remove all this debris. Remove the top and bottom dish racks and clean them properly. You should also clean and rinse the dishwasher strainer or screen thoroughly to remove all food particles and grime. The nozzles on the dishwasher sprayers can also get clogged, especially if you live in a hard water area. If hard water is a problem with all of your appliances, you should talk to a plumber about a whole house filtration system.
Finally you need to give the whole dishwasher a wipe down. You need to clean the outer surfaces of the dishwasher with a sponge soaked in hot soapy water before rinsing the whole appliance. Pay particular attention to the dishwasher door.
Getting Rid Of Bad Odors
After cleaning the whole device, you might still notice some bad odors. These bad smells can only be removed by white vinegar. You can also use a commercial dishwasher cleaner and disinfectant. If you decide to use vinegar, fill a bowl with one cup of vinegar and put it in the top rack. Hold the bowl in place to ensure that it’s upright and the vinegar will not spill. Run the dishwasher for a full cycle at the highest possible setting. The vinegar will be sprayed inside the dishwasher and the acids will seep through to neutralize the bad odors.
Useful Cleaning Tips
You should never use bleach to clean your dishwasher because it can corrode the appliance. When cleaning with vinegar, do not use a detergent. If you do not like the smell of vinegar, you can add essential oil or various citrus scents like orange, lemon, or even peppermint.