4) Clean Your Dishwasher(4 of 21)
4) Clean Your Dishwasher(4 of 21)
A dirty dishwasher can’t clean and sanitize dishes. When’s the last time you cleaned your dishwasher? It’s recommended that you clean it at least once a month.
Use a special dishwasher cleaner (designed to eliminate bacteria such as E.coli.), or create your own with vinegar and dish soap. You can add bleach to sanitize the machine. Combine vinegar and dish soap in a bowl, then place that bowl on the top rack of your dishwasher and run it on its hottest setting.
Make sure to remove the dishwasher’s filter prior to running vinegar through the appliance. (It filters all of the food you don’t completely wash off of your plates before sticking them in the washer.) It’s usually located below the lower spray arm. You can clean the filter is by rinsing it out under hot water and soaking it for 10 to 15 minutes in hot, soapy water.