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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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Do you really have to clean your dishwasher?

30 replies

HeidiHole · 13/02/2012 13:05

Hello,

We've had our dishwasher now for 4 months and yesterday DH came come from supermarket with a Finish dishwasher cleaning bottle. You run the machine on empty with this bottle in and the cleaner leaks out and it promises to remove grease, limescale etc etc.

Thats fine, but the bottle says you need to do it once a month (new bottle each time) is this a marketing trick, or true? We run dishwasher most days I'd say, I'd always thought it would clean itself, hot water and dishwasher tablets running around inside it every day!

Am I a dirty skank? Do you clean your dishwasher monthly? I don't mind doing it if we have to just concerned I'm getting taken for a ride by them saying monthly as it's obviously financially in their interest to get you to do it as often as possible!

OP posts:

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notcitrus · 13/02/2012 13:19

No. you don't. you do need to clean crud out of it every couple months depending on how well you scrape plates, if in hard water area top up salt even with tablets, if lots of greasy dishes top-up rinse aid maybe weekly, but we managed fine for decades w/o cleaner!

tho with hard water i do use one about once a year to reduce limescale.

Trickle · 13/02/2012 13:22

I use a magnoball in mine because we do live in quite a hardwater area, and I think we use the cleaner about once every 6 months - but my dishwasher has been a bit pongy before now - no idea why, it's not like we throw food into it or anything

HeidiHole · 13/02/2012 13:40

Ah OK, we have hard water so will get the salt for it. Thanks for the replies!

OP posts:

campergirls · 13/02/2012 13:44

Crafty marketing, undoubtedly. Occasionally ours gets a bit gungy b/c the kids aren't great about scraping the plates (but they're not going to get out of loading the dishwasher that easily...). So every few months I run it empty with a tablespoon of soda crystals instead of a tablet and that sorts it out. Cost: about tuppence!

PigletJohn · 13/02/2012 15:32

the edge of the door, and the rubber seal round the doorframe, need cleaning because the water and detergent dont squirt them. A sponge and kitchen spray will do it. Wipe off the spray to avoid foiaming later.

The filters need to be kept clean. There are usually at least two, check the instructions. The jet holes in the arms should not get blocked with food particles if you scrape the dishes or wash off substantial deposits under the cold tap first. Black burned deposits don't wash away well.

The inside should not be dirty. It should not have limescale if you keep the softener reservoir topped up with salt (3-in-1 tablets are not the same) and the soft water will also improve cleaning results.

The people who sell the dishwasher-cleaning products have got to make a living, I suppose.

valiumredhead · 13/02/2012 16:02

Yes you do but not very often as long as you use lots of salt. Soda crystals I imagine would do the same job.

HeidiHole · 13/02/2012 17:14

OK just bought a 2kg bag of salt (never used before!) and tipped the whole lot in, didn't even touch the sides so the thing must be empty. thanks for the advice.

OP posts:

DressDownFriday · 13/02/2012 17:22

I've just bought some soda crystals to clean mine with.

Each time i do a wash i add a splash of vinegar. supposedly makes glasses sparkle and keeps limescale at bay.

I did take out the plug (?) thingy at the bottom of the machine a couple of months ago - it was rank. gave it a good scrub, so some sort of clean is required. i`m sure just soda crystals would not have cleaned it that well.

mogmum · 13/02/2012 17:46

I do use one but find that the supermarket own buy one works just as well. I use it about once a month.
I also use the salt and rinse aid but only because I live in a hardwater area

Seona1973 · 13/02/2012 19:16

I remove and clean the filters - was forced to do it a couple of weeks ago when water was left in the bottom of the machine! I occasionally run through a cleaner but not as often as once a month. I use salt and rise aid as well as dishwasher tablets

Chickensinthekitchen · 13/02/2012 20:08

I run a cleaner theough a couple of times a year. I do clean the seals and around the door and the hidden area ( seal under door) that gets black mould if you don't keep it clean yuck!!

canyou · 13/02/2012 20:49

I am a freak I clean the filter all the seals and the arms of the sprayer piece weekly --DP just bungs everything in and does not wipe/rinse- I use it twice a day so it does deserve a little TLC to keep it working

PigletJohn · 13/02/2012 21:09

how often do you find bits in the arms?

canyou · 13/02/2012 21:14

Not to regularly a toothpick and toothbrush cleans them really well.
I will say I am a chef and catering dishwashers are vomit inducing at the end of the day so this is one reason I am so insistent about the cleaning

PigletJohn · 13/02/2012 21:16

how do you make yorkshire puds without soggy bottoms?

Bossybritches22 · 13/02/2012 21:17

When I bought my last d/washer the salesman said to run it empty with your usual tab/powder once in a while on the hottest temp to give it all a good clean out. No need for special products.

Same with the washing machine.

BackforGood · 13/02/2012 21:21

I've never 'cleaned' any dishwasher. I've had them for 15 years, and my Mum's had dishwashers as long as I can remember (certainly since mid 70s) and I've never known anyone clean one. It actually runs through with hot soapy water once or twice a day.
I do however rinse things before putting them in the dishwasher.

canyou · 13/02/2012 21:25

Put your tin n the oven to heat when it begins to almost smoke add the lard saved from the last roast when that is sizzling add the batter
I do the heating of the pan and the lard in the top oven and then into the hottest lower oven possible [200/220 deg if possible]

canyou · 13/02/2012 21:28

Backforgood My DP wants to know will you do something for him plse,
He wants you to open the door of the dishwasher and run your finger along the underside of the seal to prove to me that mould/dirt/bacteria will not build up when it is being used constantly.
Tell him bugger off plse I am right

PigletJohn · 13/02/2012 21:37

mine is clean.

canyou · 13/02/2012 21:43

Damn Piglet Can I get your response deleted cant have DP being right

BackforGood · 13/02/2012 22:18

CanYou's DP OK, I've just gone and done as asked (and to make sure, wiped finger all round the seal - tops, sides, anywhere I could reach) and my finger has come out clean - no mould, dirt or anything visible or even the 'feel' of anything on it. Sorry about that

canyou · 13/02/2012 22:25

Double damn and now he is dancing around the living room but I am insisting that both of you rinse and wipe the plates before they go into the dishwasher

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PigletJohn · 13/02/2012 22:32

cheque to the usual address please, mate.

BackforGood · 13/02/2012 22:36

I do rinse if a plate is covered in gravy or sauce or something (as I would before putting into a washing up bowl), but not wash or wipe, honest . Sorry canyou!

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