If you notice stains or smells coming from your Whirlpool dishwasher, then it’s a good sign it’s time to give it a deep clean. Luckily, it’s as easy as adding a cleaner and running the machine. Whether you use household ingredients like vinegar and baking soda or a cleaning tablet, don’t forget to clean out the filter first, which we’ll explain too! We even spoke to professional cleaners for advice on using common home remedies and how often to clean your dishwasher.
How to Clean a Dishwasher with Vinegar
Remove and rinse out the filter first, and then put it back in. Fill a bowl with distilled white vinegar, place it on the top rack, and run a normal wash cycle without detergent or heat-drying. After that, sprinkle baking soda in your dishwasher and run another rinse cycle.
Steps
Cleaning a Whirlpool Dishwasher with Vinegar
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Put a bowl of distilled white vinegar in the dishwasher’s bottom rack. James Sears, a home cleaning professional, says that non-toxic cleaners like vinegar are best for your dishwasher instead of using bleach. Just put 1 cup (240 ml) of vinegar in a dishwasher-safe bowl, and place it upright in the bottom rack. [1] X Research source
- Avoid loading other dishes into your dishwasher while you’re using vinegar to clean it.
- While Whirlpool officially recommends putting the vinegar in the bottom rack, Sears suggests putting it on the top rack works just as well.
- Professional home cleaner Chris Willatt explains that cleaning with vinegar works because it's acidic, which helps break down and dissolve mineral deposits inside of your dishwasher.
- Alternatively, Willatt says “you can usually fill the basin up with about a quarter inch of vinegar” to clean out your dishwasher.
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Run a wash cycle without the heat dry setting. Turn off any heated dry cycles on your dishwasher before starting a normal wash cycle. Let the cycle run completely so the vinegar can work through your entire dishwasher to clean out any buildup or residue. [2] X Research source
- Avoid using any detergent when you’re cleaning with vinegar.
- Using a high heat setting on your dishwasher when you clean with vinegar may damage parts inside the machine, so always double-check that you turned it off.
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Sprinkle baking soda in the dishwasher and run a rinse cycle. Once the wash cycle finishes, spread 1 cup (272 g) of baking soda under the dishwasher’s bottom rack. Sears says, “do a rinse cycle with hot water afterwards…so that the acidic vinegar does not corrode the plastic gaskets.”
- Baking soda will also help remove any leftover marks and neutralize remaining odors inside your dishwasher.
Cleaning Your Dishwasher with Affresh Tablets
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Place an Affresh cleaning tablet in the detergent compartment. Whirlpool officially recommends using the Affresh brand cleaner, but any dishwasher cleaning tablet will work fine. Place the tablet inside the detergent compartment and close the door. [3] X Research source
- Affresh cleaning tablets work great for removing built-up calcium deposits and limescale that vinegar wasn’t able to remove.
- If your dishwasher is looking extra dirty, then toss a second Affresh tablet in the bottom of the machine.
- Unlike vinegar, cleaning tablets are safe to use during a normal wash cycle with dishes. Load your detergent normally and put the tablet in the bottom of the dishwasher instead.
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Run a normal wash cycle. Use the standard wash and dry cycle you would regularly use. As the machine runs, the cleaning tablet will dissolve and break apart the mineral deposits inside of your dishwasher. Let the cycle run through completely, and your dishwasher will be sanitized and deodorized. [4] X Trustworthy Source Consumer Reports Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing Go to source
- If you still notice buildup after using a cleaning tablet, try running another cleaning cycle.
How to Clean a Dishwasher Filter
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Remove the filter from the bottom of your dishwasher. Remove the lower dish rack from your dishwasher, and look for the circular filter near the front. Twist the filter counter-clockwise by a quarter-turn and slowly lift it out. Once you have the filter assembly out, separate the cylinder from the larger lower piece. [5] X Research source
- While it’s not common, some Whirlpool dishwashers don’t have a removable filter. If you’re not able to remove yours, consult your appliance’s manual for specific cleaning instructions.
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Rinse the filter out under running water. Ashley Matuska, a professional cleaner, says to clean the filter in your sink and run it under cold or hot water to remove debris. Try to get as much debris out as you can with the running water. [6] X Research source
- If your dishwasher filter looks really dirty, soak it in soapy water for about 1 hour to break apart the buildup inside. [7] X Research source
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Scrape out food and debris lightly with a cleaning brush . Wet the brush and gently scrub the mesh filter material to remove any clogs. Rinse the mesh after you scrub it and use the brush again if you still notice residue. [8] X Trustworthy Source Consumer Reports Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing Go to source
- Be careful not to scrub the filter pieces too hard because you could damage them.
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Reinstall the filter in your machine. Start by sliding the lower filter piece into the bottom of your dishwasher. Then, slide the upper filter cylinder through the hole in the lower piece and rotate it clockwise until it stops turning. [9] X Research source
- Avoid running your dishwasher when you have the filter removed because debris and food particles could get caught in the drain pipes and form a clog.
Expert Q&A
Tips
- If you notice stubborn spots, Sears recommends using lemons as a home remedy because it’s acidic like vinegar. Just cut the lemon in half and use it to scrub at the marks.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201508/owners-manual-W10717214-RevA.pdf
- ↑ https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201508/owners-manual-W10717214-RevA.pdf
- ↑ https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201409/owners-manual-W10596244-RevB.pdf
- ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/dishwashers/how-to-clean-a-dishwasher-a1075685014/
- ↑ https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201508/owners-manual-W10717214-RevA.pdf
- ↑ https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201409/owners-manual-W10596244-RevB.pdf
- ↑ https://youtu.be/65l1FALim_M?t=153
- ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/dishwashers/how-to-clean-a-dishwasher-a1075685014/
- ↑ https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Dishwashers/Product_Info/Dishwasher_Cleaning_and_Care/How_to_Clean_the_Dishwasher_Filters
- ↑ https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201409/owners-manual-W10596244-RevB.pdf
- ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/dishwashers/how-to-clean-a-dishwasher-a1075685014/
- ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/dishwashers/how-to-clean-a-dishwasher-a1075685014/
- ↑ https://youtu.be/tajBDbFkDDQ?t=102
- ↑ https://youtu.be/5meu2aOsYEA?t=90
- ↑ https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201508/owners-manual-W10717214-RevA.pdf
- ↑ https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201508/owners-manual-W10717214-RevA.pdf
- ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/dishwashers/how-to-load-a-dishwasher-a6704518317/
- ↑ https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201409/owners-manual-W10596244-RevB.pdf
- ↑ https://www.whirlpool.com/content/dam/global/documents/201407/quick-reference-W10665624-RevA.pdf