How to deep clean your dishwasher

Despite the fact that it specialises in washing things, your dishwasher isn't self-cleaning. It works hard every day to keep your plates, cutlery and glassware glistening, but every now and then it needs a good clean of its own. Over time, food particles, grease, and limescale build up inside, which can leave you with a smelly dishwasher, cloudy glasses, and dishes that aren't coming out as hygienically clean as they should be.

Fortunately, it’s a simple enough DIY job - or, even better than DIY’ing it, get someone else in the house to DIFY (do it for you). Set aside ten minutes every month or two and follow these steps.

The dishwasher filter sits at the bottom of the dishwasher and catches all the bits of food that wash off your plates during a cycle. Naturally, it’s where most of the grime builds up, so if you've got a smelly dishwasher or plates are coming out greasy, this is usually the culprit.

As well as doing this routinely every month or so, it's worth checking the filter if dishes ever come out less clean than they should. If your brother-in-law 'helped' stack the dishwasher after the family BBQ, there's a fair chance a rogue chicken bone or chunk of corn cob has lodged in the filter and is affecting every wash.

It's easy to overlook the spray arms in your dishwasher because they're usually hidden beneath the racks and you never see them in action - but, of course, they are the heroes in the war on dirty dishes.

Both upper and lower spray arms blast powerful jets of water around the inside of your dishwasher during a wash cycle. If the holes get blocked with hard water deposits or bits of food, water can't circulate properly and dishes won't come out as clean as they should.

Now for the inside of your dishwasher - the walls, corners, edges, and the seal around the dishwasher door. This is where mould and grime love to hide, especially in the folds of the rubber seal.

Mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water, then use a damp cloth to wipe down all the internal areas. Don't forget the inner door frame, and while you're at it, give the control panel and exterior a quick wipe down too.

White vinegar is one of the best natural cleaning products for cutting through grease and grime: it's completely safe to use on stainless steel dishwashers and helps prevent mould from taking hold.

If you have issues with heavy limescale from hard water, you might want to swap the vinegar solution for a dedicated descaler or a citric acid solution, which are good at dissolving stubborn mineral build-up.

After you’ve finished manually cleaning the filter, spray arms and interiors, run a high-temperature wash cycle for the empty dishwasher using a dishwasher cleaner liquid or tablet.

Place the cleaner in the bottom rack as directed on the packaging, and let the machine do the rest of the work. The hot water and cleaner work together to break down any remaining grease, odours, and limescale.

We deliver to 95% of Australia's population with Appliances Online's legendary FREE delivery - and we can usually get your new dishwasher - or other appliance - to you by the next day (Mon-Fri) as long as it's in stock. Plus, we offer paid Same Day Delivery in NSW, QLD, and VIC metro areas if you order before 12pm Mon-Fri.

We'll also take your old disconnected dishwasher away for recycling, for free, when we deliver your new one - which most retailers won’t do. For more tips on choosing the best dishwasher for your needs, read our Dishwasher Buying Guide, and if you still have questions, call our friendly team 24/7 on 1300 000 500, or message us via the chat icon at the bottom of your screen.