# We cleaned the dishwasher today!



## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Every month, I run the dishwasher with 1-2 cups of vinegar in the first cycle and a cup of bleach in the second.

Today, DH and I took it apart! Gag! Fifteen years of sludge in the inners of it. We also found pieces of plastic wrap which probably didn't help either. DH used the bathtub for the big pieces and I tackled the rest in the kitchen sink.

After he put it back together, I have it a rinse with a bit of vinegar to get rid of any cleaning products and it's ready to go again!

Last week I tackled the over-the-stove exhaust fan. DH took it down and I cleaned it on an old card table by the kitchen sink. It's innerds got scrubbed and it smells so much better!


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## mothernature (Aug 22, 2010)

We've been doing 'in-depth' cleaning lately too, it's amazing where and how fast dirt/grime/yuck can get into places! We cleaned our dishwasher a few years back (took it apart) to find a papertowel and plenty of 'yuck'! We don't even use papertowels that much, how did it end up where it did? Seems like once you get started doing some deep cleaning you just have to keep going--you know it's just as dirty behind the stove as it was behind the fridge, even if you pulled it out last year!


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## StaceyS (Nov 19, 2003)

How did you take it apart? I just moved into a house that was built in the 70's and the dishwasher is pretty old. The dishes come out dirtier than i put them in, so i've stopped using it. If i knew how, i'd definately clean it!


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

StaceyS said:


> How did you take it apart? I just moved into a house that was built in the 70's and the dishwasher is pretty old. The dishes come out dirtier than i put them in, so i've stopped using it. If i knew how, i'd definately clean it!


Before doing anything, run it empty a few times using 2 cups of vinegar in the wash cycle. that's what my friend did with one she had in a house she had rented.

My DH is mechanically inclined and can fix almost anything, so he took it apart. I'd say to sit and study in innerds and where they are attached and go from there.


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## StaceyS (Nov 19, 2003)

Cool. I've tried one run with the vinegar. I've wiped the drain area, but we have hard water here and I think no one has maintained it, ever, so it's probably all clogged with minerals.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

StaceyS said:


> Cool. I've tried one run with the vinegar. I've wiped the drain area, but we have hard water here and I think no one has maintained it, ever, so it's probably all clogged with minerals.


There are various products on the market that can be used in the dishwasher to clean minerals out. One that comes to mind is Lime-Away. Some are sold in the grocery store and in hardware stores. I'd suggest reading labels.


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## dragonfly65 (Sep 29, 2002)

That is one of the reasons I took mine out of the kitchen and left if out when DH put Pergo down on the floor. He painted the sides of the cabinet in the "hole" and put a couple slide out shelves for appliances against the wall underneath. Now, I have a really nice place to sit and chop veggies, etc. right next to the sink and a place for my big mixer to live - much more useful than that nasty, old water-guzzling dishwasher.


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

When Koolaid comes on sale, I buy a bunch of the lemonade ones. I run them through the dishwasher and it comes out nice and clean -- it's the citric acid. I used to use it in my washer too, but since I've been putting vinegar in the rinse, the washer stays clean and doesn't need it. But the lemonade powder really works on the dishwasher!


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## BeeFree (Feb 23, 2004)

Do you put the vinegar in regular cups and set it in the dish washer or do you just pour it into the dishwasher? Mine is needing cleaned again. Last time I just poured the vinegar into the washer.


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