To clean a dishwasher, put 1 pack of orange Kool-Aid (unsweetened) in bottom and run through a full cycle. It will come out sparkling. Be sure it is empty of all dishes, etc.
By Jan Whiteis from Corvallis, OR
Tang powdered orange drink can help remove the hard water spots inside your dishwasher. This is a page about clean your dishwasher with Tang.
I like to use a lot of natural cleaners. One I use fairly often is baking soda. I use it in my dishwasher. I add about 3 tablespoons to the dispenser. It helps prevent hard water lime and calcium buildup inside the dishwasher and keeps it fresh smelling. It also helps to clean the dishes.
I have tried baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, etc. to clean my dishwashing machine like the store bought cleaners on the store shelves do, and nothing has worked. Any suggestions?
By dndfox1998
I have a Bosch dishwasher in my home. I found chalky/white deposits inside. How to clean that residue on the stainless steel interior?
By kanakadoss
The bottom drain with holes is filled with mud like junk. I've scraped under and pulled out big chunks of black dirt and black junk under middle round thing that shoots up with water. How do I get it clean and what is the black junk?
By Ginny M
It's very easy to clean your dishwasher and you should at least once a month. Recently I found a new way I hadn't been aware of.
Would putting in Tang or a pack of lemon Kool-Aid to wash the dishwasher help get rid of food particles in a non removable food trap? I am getting a lot of food particles coming back on some dishes. I am now using Finish tablets and it is doing better, but I still get little bits on plates and such?
By sue from Cincinnati, OH
I am looking for something environmentally safe to clean my dishwasher. Suggestions?
By Brenda from Omaha, NE
Buy the jumbo canister of Tang! Once every 4-6 weeks fill your dishwasher with hot water and 1/2 cup of Tang. Let run a few minutes then stop it for at least 1/2 hour.
Dump 1 packet lemon Kool-Aid (no sugar needed) into the detergent cups and run the washer empty thru a cycle.
What can I use to clean the drain in my dishwasher? Also, what should I use on the inside of the dishwasher?
By Sam
I recently bought a house with a very old dishwasher. It wasn't washing all that well. I poured about a quart of white vinegar into the wash (as it was about to wash), along with the soap and it's been great since. As to your question about cleaning it, you can manually clean the inside of your dishwasher with just hot water and some dish soap (hand soap), I also had to do that.
I would clean the inside of dishwasher itself with a clean sponge and a bleach/water mixture (bleach is the only thing I've found that will kill any mold, but mix nothing stronger than a 50/50 ratio in a spray bottle or bucket, use tepid water, and wear clothes that you don't mind getting bleached, as this still happens when bleach is diluted with water), rinse well. Use a pitcher of hot water or a clean spray bottle if your sink sprayer won't reach.
If you use a spray bottle, empty it as soon as you're done so it won't expand with hot air. Vinegar mixes with bleach fine (not harmful), so don't worry about getting the liquid out before the next step, which is to then run the dishwasher empty, using white vinegar instead of soap in one of the reservoirs. Put a basic grainy /powder soap or some baking soda (not liquid, and nothing with any ammonia in it) into the second reservoir (I do not believe it matters which reservoir gets filled with which).
You can always run the vinegar with the soap (any soap, now that the bleach is gone) when you run the dishwasher (empty or full), which helps kill bacteria and give your dishes a natural spot-free finish! You will still have to get the "big stuff" off your dishes first if you have an older model.
Also, the Tang thing most likely works b/c of the acid in the orange and the grainy texture of the mix; same concept as the white vinegar with soap powder, but the vinegar is much cheaper and can be used for many other things, unless you happen to have the Tang. I hope this helps, and good luck!
My dishes come out with greasy film. What should I use to clean the dishwasher?
By Maere
Apple cider vinager. Pour one gallon into the bottom of the tub and run it empty (no dishes) this should help.
I use 'Tang'-the powdered drink mix. Just fill the detergent despensers with Tang instead of detergent and run the empty dishwasher through its cycle.
Can Home Hardware brand CLR be used to clean dishwashers? If yes, how much do I use and what type of dishwashers may be cleaned using this product?
By arlene from Saskatoon, SK, Canada
I am sure that this is one of the uses that CLR is advertised for. It is just a stronger acid than vinegar. I would put a cup in the machine, and run a regular cycle. Read the label of the container, or go online to the CLR product site (they must have one) to see what they say.
Will CLR clean the hard water deposits in a dishwasher so that it cleans the dishes better?
My dishwasher is full of soap scum or a white powder. It is even on dishes and pots. We are using Cascade.
