You may think your dishwasher is clean as the bottom of the dishwasher looks clean and sparkles. However, areas such as the Whirlpool dishwasher filter and other areas can block over time.
Hard water being a prime culprit as scale builds up. You’ll find this isn’t washed away properly with hot water, so you need to clean and help maintain your dishwasher condition as part of your home maintenance.
By taking control of this and following a few simple steps, you’ll find your dishwasher runs more efficiently, has fewer breakdowns, and lasts much longer.
In our guide, you can learn how to clean inside your dishwasher, check and clean your Whirlpool dishwasher filter. (Learn How to Clean a Couch with Baking Soda)
How Do You Self Clean a Whirlpool Dishwasher?
It would help if you didn’t think your dishwasher will clean dishes and take care of itself. It would be best if you took the time to make sure the inside of your dishwasher is clean.
There comes a time to clean your dishwasher, so here we have a couple of cleaning tips for dishwashers.
Dishwashers need to be cleaned around every 30 days to maintain optimal performance. You can use affresh dishwasher cleaner every month.
They will keep your dishwasher from building up film or spots on the interior. Besides being clean, they also stop any bad odors.
Hard water mineral deposits damage your dishwasher, thus making it harder to get good cleaning performance.
A water softener is recommended when the water hardness is 15 grains or above. If you don’t have a water softener installed, you will need to use an affresh dishwasher cleaner.
Alternatively, you can carry out the following procedure to keep your dishwasher and filters in the best condition. (Learn How to Clean Washing Machine with Baking Soda)
White Vinegar Rinse
- Put 2 cups of white vinegar into a dishwasher-safe cup or bowl on the bottom dish rack.
- Run your dishwasher through a full wash cycle using the air-dry or energy-saving dry option. Make sure not to use any detergent. Using detergent will stop the vinegar from mixing with the wash water and doing its job.
Note: Vinegar is a mild acid, and if you use it too often, you could cause more damage. Use vinegar for routine deep cleanings to keep your dishwasher in prime condition.
What is the Best Way to Clean the Inside of a Dishwasher?
Step 1: Clean the Door
Keep your dishwasher door fingerprint-free with warm, sudsy water. You can also use homemade dishwasher cleaner.
- Mix 1/4 cup of baking soda into 1 quart of water. Once the door is clean, wipe dry with a soft cloth.
- Open your dishwasher door to reach the top and sides.
- Use a small toothbrush and hot, soapy water to scrub around the door seals.
- Wipe any grime with a sponge dipped in hot soapy water, and then wipe any remaining cleaning solution with a clean, wet sponge.
Step 2: Clean the Tub
Before you start cleaning the tub, use paper towels and remove any debris from the bottom of the dishwasher.
Once the debris has been removed, run a cycle to clean the dishwasher. It is here; you use the vinegar method above to clean your empty dishwasher.
When the cycle has completed, wipe the inside of your dishwasher clean with paper towels or a clean, dry cloth.
One other thing you can do here is clean your dishwasher with baking soda. All you have to do is sprinkle a cup on the bottom of the tub. For either of these methods, run a complete cycle and use the hottest water setting possible.
Step 3: Clean Other Parts
Besides cleaning the metal inside, there are other parts you have to clean. Take out racks and utensil holders to wipe away food particles. Scrub the spray arm using a soft brush or toothbrush to remove any clogs.
Step 4: Clean Dishwasher Filter
One area that gets the most abuse is the filter, and it will need cleaning. To get to your dishwasher filter, pull the bottom rack all the way out.
You’ll find the filter located in the bottom, back corner of your appliance. In most cases, the filter is removable. Twist to remove it from the dishwasher.
Rinse the filter under hot running water to remove food particles and debris. Wipe the area under the filter in your dishwasher using a damp cloth or sponge.
Once you clean your dishwasher filter, you can replace the clean dishwasher filter into position. (Learn How To Fix Bleach Stains)
Step 5: Tackle Rust
You might see possible rust stains in your dishwasher based on water-source and the machine age. You can locate rust treatment compounds in the detergent section that can remove rust stains.
Add the product to the soap dispenser of your dishwasher and sprinkle it on the bottom. Run the empty dishwasher on a full cleaning cycle.
You may need to do this regularly, depending on your water source and pipes leading to your home.
Step 6: Stop Hard Water Mineral Buildup
Water isn’t the same in every region, some have soft water, and some have hard. Your dishwasher can be prone to hard water deposits or mineral buildup.
You can place a cup of lemon juice on the top rack of your dishwasher then run a regular cycle so the acidic lemon juice can remove hard water spots.
The best way to clean a dishwasher is by doing a thorough cleaning once a month and tackling smudges and splatters on the exterior as they happen.
How Do I Clean the Filter On My Old Whirlpool Dishwasher?
Here are the steps on how to remove Whirlpool dishwasher filters.
- Find the filter at the bottom of the dishwasher.
- Hold the filter assembly and then turn counterclockwise for a ¼ turn
- Lift the filter out of the holder.
- Separate the upper filter from the lower filter assembly.
- Clean the filter pieces by rinsing or swilling in your sink with dish soap and warm water to eliminate any particles from the lower and upper filters.
- Connect the clean upper filter back to the lower filter and replace it into your machine.
- Turn clockwise until it locks in position.
Many individuals ask where the drain filter on a Whirlpool dishwasher is?
The filter is in the back corner of the dishwasher tub or by the base of the bottom spray arm. Most dishwasher filters comprise an upper filter and lower filter assembly. Give a quarter turn anti-clockwise to remove the filter. (Learn How to Clean a Drain with Baking Soda and Vinegar)
How Do You Clean a Whirlpool Stainless Steel Dishwasher?
Here are a few tips on how to clean the outside of your stainless-steel dishwasher on a regular basis.
- Vinegar
- Spray bottle
- Paper towels or microfiber cloth
- Mineral oil or olive oil
Instructions
Find the direction the stainless-steel grain goes. It will be vertical or horizontal, and that will be the direction you clean.
First, clean your appliance with vinegar by using the spray bottle.
Wipe down the washer with paper towels or your soft cloth. Make sure you wipe in the grain’s direction to remove dirt.
Dip a cloth in a little oil and polish your washer in the grain’s direction. Any marks will vanish, and the outside of your washer shines.
Make sure to wipe in the direction of the grain to see the marks vanish, and your dishwasher will look like a shiny new appliance again.
