When your dishwasher isn’t cleaning properly, food residue can appear on your dishes, and your glassware won’t be sparkling clean. This is the first warning sign: it’s time for a deep clean inside your appliance. Want to continue saving time, water, and energy when washing your everyday dishes? Implement this dishwasher maintenance plan and restore its full potential.
Tips for cleaning the dishwasher
Basic dishwasher maintenance is what allows you to keep a daily record of its condition and ensure optimal performance. It basically consists of:
- Putting dirty dishes in the dishwasher. It may seem redundant, but many users are tempted to rinse the dishes under the tap in the sink before putting them in the dishwasher. This can compromise the efficiency of the soiling sensors that determine the amount of water to use during the wash cycle and can even damage them.
- Always leave the door open after washing. You don’t need to open it completely; a small crack is enough for the remaining water to evaporate and prevent musty smells or mold growth. This is a useful tip, but unnecessary in the latest AEG dishwasher models with Air Dry technology for natural drying. This smart function automatically opens the dishwasher door about 10 cm to facilitate drying during the final wash cycle.
- Perform a visual inspection of the interior after each wash and remove any food residue that may have stuck to the interior walls, blades, or door seal and frame.
In addition to these guidelines after each use, it’s recommended to clean the inside of your dishwasher at least once a month. This process will take a little more time, but it will leave your appliance looking brand new.
- Remove the filter: dirt and food scraps tend to clog it up. Use a stiff-bristled brush to remove all that debris and say goodbye to bad smells.
- Clean the spray arms: a dirty machine will never clean properly. Grease buildup on the dishwasher spray arms isn’t always visible, but it’s there. To remove it, you can take the spray arms out and wash them with hot, soapy water or with a good degreaser and pressurized water to force the dirt out of the crevices. Use a toothpick to remove any stubborn residue.
- Clean the internal pipes: To do this, you’ll need to use one of the dishwasher cleaning products available on the market. The instructions are almost always the same: remove the seal, place the product inside the dishwasher, and run a long cycle with the machine empty. A more eco-friendly and economical option is to add a mixture of vinegar and citric acid powder to the detergent dispenser. This will remove limescale and grease from inside the dishwasher.