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I didn't know dishwashers needed anything other than detergent -- and rinse aid, since a screen blinks if I don't have enough in the spot. Before I go any further, it should go without saying, but I'm going to say it -- this is not advice (of any kind). I am just sharing what I normally do. What works in my dishwasher may not work for yours. For the last little while, I've been using ECOS dishwasher gel, which gets an 'A' rating on ewg.org, but I still think there could be something better out there - performance and ingredient-wise. For rinse aid, I use the Ecover brand, which is also rated as an 'A." However, I tried their toilet bowl cleaner (rated 'B') and the scent was overwhelmingly strong! If you want to read how I got the smell out and other toilet cleaning things, watch out for my upcoming toilet cleaning post!
But, our dishwasher definitely needs regular maintenance. In the bottom, there's a little reservoir that collects water - I've been told it's from the condensation of the dishes. The filter sits in the reservoir and gets quite moldy if it's not drained out (with a turkey baster, thanks to my friend Rickie for that tip, lol) and scrubbed. I soak it in a mix of EC3 Mold Solution Concentrate, dish soap, and hot water - it would be ideal to do this weekly, but I usually only remember before we go out of town, so it happens monthly/bimonthly. I don't know why that's the time I seem to remember to do it, but I am trying to do it more often.
When the soap, hot water, and EC3 Mold Solution Concentrate are filling up, I dip a washcloth in (before I put back in the dirty filters) to clean the inside of the dishwasher. I often find mold likes to build up near the rubber gaskets and along the door. Then, as the filters are soaking, I spray the inside of my dishwasher down with EC3 Mold Solution Spray and let it air dry. Speaking of which, just like my clothes washer, I keep my dishwasher door ajar when not in use.
After soaking, scrubbing, and rinsing the micro and macro filters and the top separating layer, I set them on a paper towel to dry...but first, I squirt them down with EC3 Mold Solution Spray and let it air dry. Normally, this means I let it sit on the counter before I leave the house and have to make sure I remember to put it back in the dishwasher before the next cycle, when I'm back in town.
Whenever I clean the filters, it's a great time to clean out the garbage disposal, too, haha! Anyways, these are the steps I'm taking to maintain our dishwasher.
I didn't know washers needed maintenance, either...but here I am, learning all the things! Check out this post to read how I clean my washer. And while we're on the subject, I have to include my post on laundry in general.
Here's an update: Dishwasher Cleaning: Part II
Use my affiliate code: SATIATEDBLONDE to save on EC3 products. Do you have a maintenance plan for your appliances? Tell me in the comments. As always, #GetSatiated.
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