All major appliances require maintenance, and your dishwasher is no exception. You may think that because a dishwasher runs on soap and water, and because you only put dishes that have been scraped of scraps and/or rinsed in the dishwasher, that there’s no need to clean it. Well, as logical as that seems, it’s incorrect!

If you use your dishwasher frequently, it more than likely has a buildup of food bits, soap scum, and grease. Using a cleaning agent at least once a month (preferably more like every 8 cycles) will help remove mineral buildup inside your machine, including the spray arms and heating element. Products such as Finish Machine Cleaner and Lemi Shine are great choices— or you could keep it simple— a cup of vinegar poured into the bottom of the dishwasher works quite well.