Maintenance Tips To Help Keep Your Dishwasher Running Like New

Dishwashers are a nice convenience to have in your home. It helps get rid of those dish pan hands and keeps your plates, glasses and serving ware sparkling clean. In order to keep your convenient dishwasher running like new, there are some things you should be doing. See below for some dishwasher maintenance tips.

Check The Filter

Dishwashers catch quite a bit of leftover food gunk from your dishes, which if left to build up can create a big problem for your dishwasher. You need to clean your filter every once in awhile to clean out this gunk. Failing to do so can cause your dishwasher to not drain water properly. You can find the filter usually below the spray arms in the bottom of the dishwasher. You can clear out the filter with your hands, or for a deeper clean, take the spray arms off using a screwdriver. Then take the filter out completely to clean it. Below the filter, you may notice some buildup in the bottom of the tub. You can gently scrape out this buildup and clean your dishwasher with some baking soda, water and a soft scrub brush.

Clean The Sprayer Arms

If the sprayer arms get clogged with calcium buildup or with leftover food gunk, this can cause dirty dishes. If you notice that your dishes are not looking quite as sparkly as they used to, check the sprayer arms. Use a toothpick and gently pick out any build up that you can see. Take it a step further and soak the sprayer arms in white vinegar and warm water to help with really hard calcium buildup. 

Clean The Dishwasher Tub

Add white vinegar to your dishwasher detergent bin and run it while empty. The vinegar will help keep your dishwasher tub sparkling clean. You can also look into using special dishwasher cleaning packs that are designed to clean your dishwasher. These packs can be found at your local grocery store.

Be sure to look at the door to be sure it isn't wobbly or loose. A loose door can cause water leaks. Check the screws holding the door to the tub and tighten them as needed. Also check the rubber seal round the door. If there are any gaps or loose areas, this can also cause the dishwasher to leak water. Replace the seal if need be by following the manufacturer directions.

Maintaining your dishwasher will help ensure it works properly year after year. Make sure to contact an appliance repair company if your dishwasher is running improperly.