Your dishwasher works hard every single day. Grease, food scraps and soap scum slowly build up inside it. Then one morning the glasses look cloudy and a sour smell hits you when you open the door. The fix is easier than you think. Learning how to clean a dishwasher takes about 30 minutes, a few basics from the kitchen cupboard, and no special tools at all.
A clean machine does more than smell nice. It washes better, uses less energy, and lasts longer too. Most smells and poor results come from three places: a clogged filter, blocked spray arms, and grimy door seals. This guide tackles each one in order. By the end, your machine will run like it did on day one.
Before You Touch a Thing: What This Job Really Takes
- Time needed: about 30 minutes for a full deep clean, start to finish.
- Cost: almost nothing. White vinegar, washing up liquid and an old toothbrush do the job.
- How often: clean the filter monthly and run a hot empty cycle once a month.
- Biggest win: most smells vanish once the filter and seals are clean.
- Safety first: never mix vinegar with bleach, and always let parts cool before you scrub.
What You Need Before You Start
You do not need a cupboard full of products. Almost everything is already in your kitchen. Gather these bits first so you are not hunting mid job.
- White vinegar: one to two cups for the hot empty cycle.
- Citric acid cleaner: a dishwasher safe powder, handy for limescale in hard water areas.
- Washing up liquid: a few drops in warm water for the filter and seals.
- Old toothbrush and a soft cloth: for scrubbing corners and wiping the door edges.
- Wooden cocktail sticks or a pin: for clearing blocked spray arm holes.
- Rubber gloves and a shallow bowl: to catch drips and hold small parts.
How to Clean a Dishwasher: Empty It and Scrub the Filter
Work through the steps in order. Here is how to clean a dishwasher the simple way, from the racks to the final hot cycle.
Step 1: Empty the Machine and Pull Out the Racks
Start with a fully empty machine. Slide out the bottom rack and set it aside. Check the base for stray bones, labels, broken glass or food bits under the filter area. This stops loose bits from blocking the drain later.
Step 2: Take Out and Scrub the Filter
The filter sits at the bottom of the tub, under the lower spray arm. Twist it anti-clockwise and lift it out. You will likely find a grey, greasy film on the mesh, the top cause of bad smells.
Soak the filter in warm water with a few drops of washing up liquid for ten minutes. Scrub gently with the toothbrush, rinse well, and let it drain. Never run the machine without the filter locked back in place, or food bits can reach the pump.
The same gentle approach works in the oven too. If yours needs attention, follow our guide to deep cleaning an oven without harsh chemicals for a weekend reset.
A Quick Note on Stubborn Grease
If the mesh still feels slimy after scrubbing, soak it ten more minutes and scrub again. Never use a wire brush. It can tear the fine mesh.
Weak Jets, Dirty Dishes: Unclog the Spray Arms
Step 3: Check and Clear the Spray Arms
Spin each spray arm. It should turn freely. If a hole is blocked with limescale or food, poke it clear with a cocktail stick or pin. Blocked holes mean weak jets, and weak jets mean dirty dishes.
- Top arm: clips or unscrews from the roof of the tub.
- Bottom arm: lifts off its mount once the rack is out.
- Rinse both arms under the tap before refitting.
Grimy Seals and the Hot Vinegar Cycle That Resets Everything
Step 4: Wipe the Door Seals and Edges
Open the door wide and check the rubber seal around it. This spot traps black gunk and old food, yet wash water never reaches it. Wipe the whole seal with a cloth dipped in warm soapy water, getting into the folds. Wipe the door edges and the strip along the bottom too.
Step 5: Run a Hot Empty Cycle With Vinegar
Put everything back: racks, filter and spray arms. Place a dishwasher safe cup with one cup of white vinegar on the top rack. Run the hottest, longest empty cycle your machine has. The vinegar cuts grease, lifts light limescale and chases away odours.
Most makers recommend this method. Whirlpool shares the same steps in their official dishwasher care advice, and it works on almost every model. One firm rule: never add bleach to a vinegar wash, and never mix the two.
No Vinegar in the House? Use Citric Acid
Sprinkle a citric acid dishwasher cleaner in the detergent cup instead and run the same hot cycle. It is great on limescale and leaves a fresh scent.
Smell Gone, Machine Dry: The Two Finishing Steps
Step 6: Tackle Leftover Smells and Stains
Open the door as soon as the cycle ends and let the steam escape. Still a faint smell? Sprinkle a cup of bicarbonate of soda across the bottom of the tub, leave it overnight, then run a short hot rinse in the morning. For safe product choices and simple routines, our smart, safe home cleaning guide is worth a read.
Step 7: Dry Everything and Wipe the Outside
Leave the door ajar for an hour so the tub dries fully. Dry parts mean fewer smells later. Finish by wiping the door front, handle and controls with a damp cloth. Stainless steel fronts shine up well with a dry microfibre cloth rubbed along the grain.
A Simple Monthly Routine That Does the Hard Work
A little care each month beats one giant clean each year. Once you know how to clean a dishwasher, this routine takes minutes and keeps smells away for good.
| Task | How often | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Wipe the door seals | Once a week | Stops black gunk and smells building up |
| Clean the filter | Once a month | Keeps drainage fast and washes strong |
| Run a hot empty vinegar cycle | Once a month | Cuts grease and light limescale |
| Clear the spray arm holes | Every 3 months | Keeps water jets at full power |
| Deep clean walls and racks | Every 6 months | Removes hidden grime in corners |
Why Does My Dishwasher Smell? Fast Fixes That Work
If the smell keeps coming back, one of these usual suspects is behind it.
- Food trapped in the filter: the number one cause. Clean the filter first, every time.
- A blocked or slow drain: check the base for food bits and standing water after a wash.
- Dirty door seals: gunk hides in the folds where wash water never reaches.
- Greasy pipes: run the hot tap before a cycle so the wash starts with hot water.
- A closed door all day: leave it slightly open between washes so the tub can dry.
Mistakes That Quietly Make Things Worse
- Skipping the filter: no spray or tablet can fix a clogged filter.
- Mixing cleaners: vinegar and bleach must never meet. Pick one product and only ever use it alone.
- Using too much detergent: extra powder leaves a film on dishes and inside the tub.
- Sealing a wet machine shut: damp, dark and warm is exactly what odours love.
We all pick up a few bad habits over the years. Our roundup of common house cleaning mistakes to avoid covers the ones that waste the most time.
Fresh Machine, Spotless Dishes: The Payoff
That is the whole job. Half an hour, a cup of vinegar, and a bit of scrubbing where it counts. Your machine smells fresh, the glasses come out clear, and the monthly routine keeps it that way without any fuss. Now that you know how to clean a dishwasher properly, put the filter clean in your diary and forget about it until next month.
Want more step by step help like this? Browse our full range of cleaning guides and tips for kitchens, bathrooms and every room in between. Small habits, done monthly, keep the whole home easier to live in.
Your Dishwasher Cleaning Questions, Answered
How often should I clean my dishwasher?
Clean the filter once a month and run a hot empty vinegar cycle at the same time. Wipe the seals weekly if you can. Hard water areas may need the routine every three weeks.
Can I use bleach inside my dishwasher?
Best avoided. Bleach can damage stainless steel tubs and rubber seals, and it must never mix with vinegar. Soapy water, vinegar and citric acid handle every job here safely.
What can I use if I do not have vinegar?
A citric acid cleaner is the best swap, and it is kinder on limescale. Bicarbonate of soda helps with smells too. Either way, how to clean a dishwasher stays the same: filter first, hot cycle second.
Why are my dishes still cloudy after a deep clean?
Check three things: your rinse aid may be empty, your water may be very hard, or the spray arm holes may still be blocked. Refill the rinse aid, clear the arms, and run one more hot cycle.
Should I leave the dishwasher door open after a wash?
Yes, a little. A door left ajar lets steam escape and the tub dry out, so smells and mould stay away. Just mind little fingers and pets if the door sits low.
