Maintaining a dishwasher, how do you do it?

Dish washers
Updated on 25 Jul 2023
Table of Contents

There are very few households left in the Netherlands that don’t have a dishwasher. It is so much easier to quickly clean out the “box” with all your dirty dishes than to rinse, sop and scrub everything by hand. But how do you make sure your dishwasher is properly maintained? I’d like to cover some aspects of maintaining such a machine in this blog.

Loading the dishwasher correctly

It is good for a dishwasher to be used regularly (daily). There are a few things you should know about cleaning up a dishwasher that will ensure that it can continue to be properly maintained. For example, make sure the spray arms are always free to rotate. If you don’t, the mechanism can sometimes break down. Use the dishwasher properly and responsibly and never go too crazy.

The right dishwashing detergents

This also applies, for example, to the choice of which detergents to use. You can’t just use any tablets, salt and agents for any dishwasher. Read the manual carefully to make sure you get it right. It is also not unimportant not to skimp on detergent. For example, if you only put half a dishwasher tablet in the machine, it could affect the accumulation of food residue.

Running a hot program

Especially if you often use the eco program, it is a good idea to run the self-cleaning program once every one and a half to two and a half months. With such a program – the dishwasher is then completely empty – the dishwasher can clean itself completely that way. If your dishwasher does not have such an option, you can also just run an empty standard program.

Clean the filters regularly

Besides the self-cleaning program, there are several other things you can do to keep the unit clean. Make sure you clean the filters. Food particles can build up in them, which can give mold and bacteria free rein to multiply in your dishwasher. In addition, clean the rubber rim and make sure the nozzles are working properly and not calcifying.

What if your dishwasher stinks?

It happens to some people that the dishwasher starts to smell. This is obviously very unpleasant, especially if it has a negative effect on the beauty of your cutlery, plates and cups. Often, smell is not so innocent and can be a symptom of the presence of mold and bacteria. So we recommend that you not only fight symptoms, but fight the bacteria and mold with dishwashing products. You can also purchase an air freshener or neutralizer for your dishwasher.

The dishwasher does not work

Unfortunately, the lifespan of a dishwasher is not eternal. There will come a time when the appliance quits. All sorts of things can happen. A dishwasher can start leaking, water can stay in it, and it may just not respond at all to button presses. Sometimes replacing the nozzles, filters or door rubbers is enough. At other times, you’ll need to look at the water supply or the drain to the sewer, chores that are a bit more difficult to perform.

Self repair, a mechanic or replacement

Some things are fairly simple to fix yourself, but sometimes more serious things happen. Having a mechanic come out is not always the most economical thing to do. Get out your calculator and see if the cost of a mechanic wouldn’t be better used to purchase a replacement, newer and more energy-efficient dishwasher.

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Dish washers


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