While the process of learning how to clean the dishwasher doesn’t exactly fill many people with joy, what if we told you that you don’t need chemicals to do so?
Since the kitchen is considered the heart of a home and the key area where a family spends time together during the day, one that’s in optimal condition will not only influence how you feel about preparing meals in such a space, but it can also boost the total value and appeal of your house.
While everyone loves a sparkling kitchen that’s got loads of storage, not as many people adore the prospect of cleaning one. As such, it should come as no surprise that roughly 60% of Australians now own a dishwasher, with an increase of over two million people in just five short years.
Fundamentally, dishwashers cut down on the amount of manual labour required to tidy up after a meal and often have superior water consumption levels when compared to the traditional method in the sink – but how many of us actually know how to clean the dishwasher?
How To Clean The Dishwasher Without Chemicals
As a general rule, dishwashers can be revolutionary for freeing up the time of family members responsible for cleaning up after a meal. Instead of being bogged down in dirty plates, cups, spoons and more, all you need to do is throw them in the sturdy machine and let it do all the work for you.
This theory is valid, until the dishwasher smells, grows mould or isn’t properly maintained. As such, learning how to clean the dishwasher effectively is a bit like servicing your car: failure to do so will result in it eventually wearing out and breaking down.
Despite your dishwasher being full of soap and water on a daily basis, this actually does very little to keep the machine inside clean. Food particles, dish detergent that hasn’t dissolved properly during a wash cycle and residual grease left behind in the machine’s filtration, drainage system and interiors won’t necessarily get cleared away with every wash.
In addition, a dirty dishwasher means it won’t perform at its optimum level, leaving dishes with dirt spots, an oily film and even a smelly odour. Thankfully, learning how to clean the dishwasher properly is actually easier than you might think.
First, start by emptying out the entirety of its contents. Every dishwasher comes equipped with a tray located at the bottom of its interior as a means to catch any fallen food bits or tiny pieces of broken glass, dishes or plastic. As such, it’s this area that’s usually the culprit for emitting bad odours if it’s not regularly cleaned, so remove this try and racks to give them a good scrub.
Next, you need to select a cleaning agent that can act as an alternative to standard detergent and give your dishwasher a thorough descale. For homeowners who would prefer to do this in a chemical free manner – after all, you use this machine to clean items you consume food from – consider a homemade solution made from white vinegar and baking soda.
White vinegar is a potential natural ingredient to fight grime and acidic enough to cut through build ups of mineral deposits while sanitising. In addition, the baking soda will help to combat grease, dislodge lingering food particles, remove stains and any foul odours.
Soak all the removable parts in a mixture of warm water and one cup of white distilled vinegar and leave them for at least thirty minutes. Meanwhile, grab an old toothbrush and mix baking soda, a dash of vinegar and warm water into a mixture to scrub the inside of your dishwasher, not forgetting to tackle key areas such as the dishwasher drain, spray tube and the filter. Once you’re finished, simply wipe away any of the mixture’s excess with a paper towel.
At this point, it’s time to put the racks back in, fill a small dishwasher-safe bowl with white vinegar and set it on the topmost rack. Close the door, turn the setting onto the hottest level, and run a complete cycle anywhere between fifteen minutes and one hour.
If your dishwasher is looking particularly sad or grimy, you can do an optional second rinse with baking soda instead of vinegar. Sprinkle a cup of baking soda on the bottom of your dishwasher and run it on a short, hot cycle. This will freshen up your dishwasher, eliminate any lingering strains and odours and brighten a potentially faded interior. Be sure not to forget about wiping down the doors and exterior of your dishwasher and you’ll find yourself with a machine that feels as good as new.
Learning how to clean a dishwasher properly isn’t exactly fun, but neither is ignoring the job and letting things pile up. To get some of your time back while ensuring that all the work gets done, investing in a reliable house cleaner to take care of the bigger tasks or regular day to day stuff can be worth their weight in gold – but where do you find one?
Ditch The Chemicals And Stay Clean With Goodwings
We all know that good help can be hard to find, particularly when it comes to finding a reliable housekeeper that you can trust. Offering four to six hour cleaning packages, just a handful of the services on offer with the Cleaning Angels at Goodwings include bed linen changes, washing, and topping up everyday household goods like washing powder, shampoos, toilet paper and much more.
Given the fact that eco-friendly cleaning agents have been demonstrated to be just as effective at tackling various chores as traditional cleaning products, the weekly or fortnightly packages on offer through Goodwings enable Queenslanders to continue on with a healthy lifestyle without sacrificing the cleanliness of their homes.
To find out more about the services on offer with us at Goodwings, get in touch to discuss how we can provide your household with world class cleaning solutions.
