Dishwasher Diva

Hello Everyone, I am officially a dishwasher Diva! Lately, when BamaMan and I (Yes, BamaMan is not at all above helping in the kitchen) unload the dishwasher we have been met with scum, and residue, and general ingratitude on the part of the dishes we so lovingly care for. It has been quite maddening! Finally, at the end of my rope, I did a little Internet searching and found something that made me feel like an absolute ditz: our dishwasher needed to be cleaned!


I like to think that in my mere year and (almost) nine months of keeping my own home that I have succeeded in learning (most of) the ropes. I was, apparently, wrong. I realize that most of you, my faithful readers, are seasoned pros, but for my fellow greenhorns, here are a few tips:

1. The best results will be had directly after you run the dishwasher, when it is still warm and wet-ish.

2. Mercilessly scrub the inside of dishwasher, particularly around the filter and under the door (which, I am ashamed to admit, was absolutely disgusting!) with a toothbrush and wipe out the exposed grime with a warm, slightly soapy paper towel or cloth.

3. Pour a reasonable amount of white vinegar into the liquid detergent area and run a cycle. I also read that unsweetened lemonade mix, tang, and other powered acidic drink mixes work as well, but be careful because some will stain!

I should also take a moment to warn you about something that should have been obvious to me and wasn't: vinegar is absolutely awful! It's all worth it in the end, but you should be prepared for your house to smell a little like an Easter egg-dying party for as long as the dishwasher is running.

4. Now that the inside of your dishwasher is spotless (which it should be, and if it isn't, run a cycle with a little tiny bit of bleach instead of vinegar - and NEVER mix chemicals!) give the outside a thorough going over with the warm, soapy cloth, and...

Voila, you are now a dishwasher diva! Congratulations. You owe me one :)