Take out the filter and rinse it in warm, soapy water with a soft brush. Clear the spray arm holes with a toothpick. Wipe the door seal and the bottom of the tub. Then run an empty cleaning cycle: Samsung puts 8 ounces of white vinegar in a cup on the bottom rack and runs the Sanitize cycle; a dishwasher cleaner works too. Never mix vinegar and detergent, and don’t use bleach in a stainless steel tub (Samsung).
How often to clean a dishwasher
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| After every load | Check the bottom of the tub and wipe out any food bits (GE). |
| Every 1 to 3 months | Clean the filter: every other month or more for GE’s fine filters, every few months for Bosch, and whenever debris builds up for Samsung. |
| Every few months | Check the spray arms and clear any blocked holes (Bosch). |
| Monthly, or when it smells | An empty cleaning cycle with vinegar or a dishwasher cleaner. Cascade’s cleaner, which GE sells, calls for one cycle a month (GE). |
| A few times a year | Descale it if you have hard water (Bosch). |
Your owner’s manual comes first: filters, spray arms and cleaning cycles differ from model to model.
How to clean a dishwasher, step by step
- Empty it and take out the bottom rack. Remove anything else that’s in the way of the spray arms and the filter (Samsung, GE).
- Clean the filter. Twist the filter counterclockwise and lift it out; some models have a second, flat mesh filter under it. Rinse the parts in warm, soapy water and loosen stuck bits with a sponge or soft brush (GE, Samsung, Bosch). GE warns that scouring pads and stiff brushes can damage its filters. Put the filter back exactly as it came out and twist it until it locks: a wrongly fitted filter can cause drain or overflow problems, and the dishwasher should never run without one (Samsung).
- Clear the spray arms. Check that every hole is open. Poke out anything stuck with a toothpick or paper clip (Bosch, GE). For a deep clean, Samsung removes the spray arms and soaks them overnight in distilled white vinegar, then runs water through them to check every hole is clear. Afterward, spin each arm by hand to make sure it turns.
- Wipe the tub and the door seal. Clean the drain area and the bottom of the tub with warm, soapy water, wipe around the door seal with a cloth soaked in white vinegar, and wipe the inside and the bottom of the door (Samsung). Wash the racks with a brush or cloth and warm, soapy water (Samsung).
- Run an empty cleaning cycle. Put 8 ounces of distilled white vinegar in a dishwasher-safe cup, stand it upright on the bottom rack and run the Sanitize cycle, which reaches 163°F in the final rinse (Samsung). Or use a dishwasher cleaner, following its directions. If your model has a Self Clean cycle, your manual explains how to use it (Samsung).
- Leave the door ajar afterward so the inside can dry (Samsung).
Filters come in several designs: Samsung alone covers a few, and GE’s newer models have a fine and an ultra-fine filter. Your manual shows how yours comes out and goes back in. Most makers put the manual online: search your model number on their support site.
Vinegar, citric acid, a cleaner or bleach?
| Cleaner | What the makers say |
|---|---|
| White vinegar, in a cup | 8 ounces in an upright cup on the bottom rack, then the Sanitize cycle, for the walls and odors (Samsung). Never add detergent at the same time. |
| White vinegar, poured in | For spots and film: no detergent and no metal items; start a long cycle such as Pots & Pans, wait 15 to 20 minutes until the main wash has begun, then pour 2 cups into the bottom and let it finish (GE). |
| Citric acid crystals | For gray or brown mineral stains and white film: 3 to 4 ounces in the detergent cup, a normal cycle, then a second cycle with detergent. Safe in plastic and stainless tubs; take out silverware, aluminum and patterned dishes first (GE). |
| Dishwasher cleaner or descaler | Follow the product’s directions: Cascade’s calls for one empty cycle a month (GE); Bosch adds its descaler to the bottom 30 minutes into the longest, hottest cycle, a few times a year. |
| Bleach | Not in a stainless steel tub, which most Samsung dishwashers have: it can damage or discolor it (Samsung). |
None of the makers’ guides we checked call for baking soda.
If your dishwasher smells
Mold and mildew need moisture, warmth and food, and a dirty dishwasher has all three (Samsung). Samsung’s fix, after the cleaning above:
- Check the hot water. Run the kitchen tap: hot water should arrive within a minute, and the water heater should be set to 120 to 149°F (Samsung). GE also wants at least 120°F at the dishwasher, and suggests running the tap hot before you start a cycle.
- Check the sink drain. If the smell stays, it may be coming from the sink drain or garbage disposal the dishwasher drains into (Samsung).
- Don’t let dirty dishes sit. If you wait for a full load, run a rinse cycle in between (Samsung).
- Leave the door slightly open between loads so it dries (Samsung).
Standing water in the bottom after a cycle means the dishwasher isn’t draining; a little water is normal (Samsung).
Stains inside the tub
- Gray or brown: calcium or iron from the water. Remove it with citric acid; it may come back (GE).
- White film: hard-water minerals or leftover detergent. Citric acid removes it, and a water softener prevents it (GE). GE’s vinegar rinse also clears spots and film.
- Red, pink or orange: tomato sauce. Citric acid won’t touch it; it fades over time. Scrape sauce off first and run the dishwasher soon after loading (GE).
- Green: dyes in some detergents, often gels. Switch detergents (GE).
Keeping it clean
- Scrape, don’t rinse. Scrape off food before loading. GE advises against rinsing, since the sensor may then think the load is cleaner than it is and run a lighter wash.
- Hot water: at least 120°F, so the detergent dissolves fully (GE).
- No abrasive pads or harsh cleaners inside: they can harm the finish (GE).
- The outside: wipe stainless steel with lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft cloth, along the grain. No abrasive or chlorine-based cleaners (Bosch).
Questions people ask
How often should you clean a dishwasher?
Wipe out the bottom after every load (GE), clean the filter every one to three months (GE, Bosch), and run an empty cleaning cycle about once a month or whenever it smells.
Can I clean my dishwasher with vinegar?
Yes. Samsung puts 8 ounces of white vinegar in an upright cup on the bottom rack and runs the Sanitize cycle; GE pours 2 cups into the bottom once a long cycle’s main wash has started. Don’t add detergent with it.
Can I use bleach in a dishwasher?
Not in a stainless steel tub: Samsung says it can damage or discolor it.
Where is the dishwasher filter?
In the bottom of the tub, under the lower spray arm. Take out the bottom rack to reach it. Some dishwashers, including older GE models, have a self-cleaning filter with nothing to remove (GE).
Why are my dishes gritty or still dirty?
A clogged filter is a common cause: GE says gritty dishes or weaker washing mean the filters need cleaning. Clogged spray arm holes can leave food on dishes too (Samsung).
Sources
- Samsung US support, Routine and deep clean your Samsung dishwasher: no bleach in stainless tubs; 8 ounces of vinegar and the Sanitize cycle (163°F final rinse); Self Clean; soaking spray arms and filters overnight in vinegar; cleaning the spray arms and the filter; reassembling the filter correctly.
- Samsung US support, Samsung dishwasher stinks or has a musty smell: cleaning the drain area, filter, spray arms, door seal and racks; hot water at 120 to 149°F; an empty cycle with vinegar, never with detergent; the sink drain; rinse cycles between loads; leaving the door open.
- GE Appliances, How to Clean Your Dishwasher: debris and spray arm jets; the filter; monthly cleaner; scrape, don’t rinse; 120°F water; no abrasive pads. How to Clean Fine and Ultra Fine Filters: every other month or more; no scouring pads; self-cleaning filters. Removing Spots or Film: the vinegar rinse. Interior Staining: stains and citric acid.
- Bosch, Dishwasher Cleaning & Care and How to Properly Clean Your Dishwasher Filter: the filter and spray arms every few months; descaling a few times a year; cleaning the outside.