Life Hack: How to deep clean your dishwasher and rid it of stinks and grime

When's the last time you cleaned your dishwasher's filter?

Most smells in a dishwasher are caused by a clogged drain filter. Picture: iStock

Clean your filter and free the drain 

Before you do anything, clear out your filter. Most smells in a dishwasher are caused by a clogged drain filter. It is usually found inside the dishwasher, on the bottom towards the back. If you can’t find it, check the manufacturer’s manual.

Remove the filter and wash it with hot soapy water. Make sure to clean out all the crevices and check that it is free of food particles before reinserting the filter. Any food or gunk can be wiped away with a sponge.

Have you noticed a pool of water at the bottom of your dishwasher after each cycle? Your drain might be blocked, most likely by food. To free it, remove the bottom rack while the dishwasher is empty. Use a cup or towel to remove the water, depending on how deep it is. With a cloth, remove any visible food or foreign objects and your water should now drain easily. If not, check if your sink is blocked, as they often share a pipe. If this doesn’t solve the problem, consider calling a plumber. Your filter and drain should be checked and cleaned once a month.

Deep clean tips

Another stink source can be the walls and door of the dishwasher. This accumulates grease and grime over time and a quick scrub with hot, soapy water can work wonders. Also, the door seals can be a magnet for dirt. Run a damp cloth around the seals to remove any residue.

To tackle any potent pongs that remain after those steps, make sure your dishwasher is completely empty. Fill a bowl with white vinegar and place it on the top rack of the dishwasher. Run a normal cycle with only this inside. Next, pour a cup of baking soda/bicarbonate of soda into the bottom of the dishwasher and run another cycle. This classic combo should leave you with an odour free appliance.

Additionally, run a hot wash in an empty dishwasher every now and again to clean out food debris. This deeper clean should be done two or three times a year.

How to avoid smells in future 

Now that you have a shiny clean dishwasher, you should avoid certain habits.

Always remove excess food from plates and rinse them before loading them in the dishwasher.

Remember the filter you’ve just cleaned? Clean it regularly. Running an occasional cycle with just a bowl of vinegar will deter pongs from forming.

Your cleaner dishwasher should also run more efficiently and you will hopefully see the shine inside the machine reflected in your squeaky clean dishes.