How to Maintain Your Dishwasher

Image of a Samsung kitchen roomset. Featuring white cabinets, worktops and walls. There is an open fully integrated dishwasher featuring pots and pans inside.

A dishwasher is a great addition in any kitchen. Whilst not considered an ‘essential’ appliance, once you’ve had a dishwasher, there is certainly no going back! Once you’ve invested in a dishwasher, you’ll want it to last as long as possible. Choosing a high quality, reputable brand is important. However whichever brand you choose, your dishwasher will only look great and perform well if you look after it.

The good news is, maintaining your dishwasher is relatively simple! Many modern dishwashers will alert you when they are low on salt or rinse aid. Some will even remind you when its time to do a deep clean! Below, we’ve broken it down into simple steps of how to take care of your dishwasher and how often you’ll need to do it.

Dishwasher salt

Dishwasher salt is a vital tool to maintain your dishwasher. The salt softens your water, which helps your detergent work more effectively. It also prevents bacteria and the build up of limescale inside the machine. This is especially important if you live in a hard water area. You can often tell when your dishwasher salt is running low because your glasses can start looking cloudy. However most modern dishwashers will indicate when they are low on salt. Some Wi-Fi connected appliances will even notify your mobile to top it up, handy! How much salt your dishwasher requires depends on a few factors including the water hardness in your area and how often you use your dishwasher. As a general rule, its best to check your dishwasher salt levels around once a month.

To add dishwasher salt:

Open the salt compartment which is usually found at the bottom of the appliance. Using a small plastic funnel, pour the salt into the compartment. Only top up the salt to the required level – if you’re unsure on this, check your manual. Any spilled salt should be removed from the bottom of your dishwasher as this can make your pots gritty.

Find out more about dishwasher salt in the Which? guide

Close up of dishwasher salt being added to an AEG dishwasher via a plastic funnel into the salt compartment.

Rinse Aid

Rinse aid is another crucial way to maintain your dishwasher. The key to gleaming glasses and sparkling dishes is to keep your rinse aid topped up regularly. As with salt, your dishwasher will usually indicate that rinse aid is running low. Using rinse aid improves the drying performance of your dishwasher. It is also the reason your dishes will come out shining! If your dishwasher is low on rinse aid, you may notice water spots and slower drying times. To top it up, look for the rinse aid compartment which is usually found in the door of the appliance. Be careful not to overfill the dispenser and be sure to wipe up any overspill before you use the dishwasher again.

Clean your filters

For your dishwasher to work at its optimal performance, you need to keep the filters clean. If these get blocked up by leftover food or residue it can result in a less powerful clean. The filters are usually located at the bottom of your dishwasher. You may find it easier to remove the bottom rack so you can easily reach the filter. The best way to clean your filter is by running it under the tap to wash away most of the grease and grime. For any stubborn stuck on residue, you can use warm soapy water and a washing up brush to loosen the debris. Once the filter is fully clean, replace it in the machine and you’re good to go!

How often you clean your filters will depend on a few factors. How often you’re using your dishwasher and also the type of food you eat can impact this. Particularly greasy or stodgy foods can build up quickly, meaning you’ll need to clean the filters more often. If you eat porridge in the mornings, its a good idea to rinse out your bowl prior to putting it in the dishwasher. This means there will be less stubborn stuck on food by the time you run the cycle, keeping your dishwasher working more efficiently. Good Housekeeping suggest cleaning your filters after each use. However, if that sounds like a bit too much work, once a week should be fine.

Image of someone washing their dishwasher filter in the kitchen sink

Deep clean

To keep your dishwasher in its best condition, we advise running a cleaning cycle once every 1-2 months. To do this, ensure your dishwasher is completely empty. Remove the label from a bottle of dishwasher cleaning solution (not the lid!) then place it upside down on the bottom rack. Run either a hot cycle or a dedicated care cycle which should be 65 °C or higher. Once the cycle has ended, simply remove the bottle and you’re all set to use your sparkling clean dishwasher again!

Image of sparkling clean pots and cutlery inside an open dishwasher

How can you make your dishwasher run better? Here are some of our tips on how to keep your dishwasher in good health so you can get the results you want.

  • Make sure you’re using the correct programme – Use the light setting if you have a light load (if you must), use the correct, intended settings for a full load. These programmes are different for a reason, and they’re there for a reason. Use them to your advantage.
  • Heat up your water – Before you start a dishwasher cycle, run your tap on hot. This will send hot water into the dishwasher on the first attempt, rather than waste time and energy on heating the water.
  • Don’t overload – We get it, you’ve nearly fit your entire load into the dishwasher. Just. one. more. plate. As tempting as this is, try to avoid overloading at all times. This may not clean your dishes to a good standard and you might end up having to rewash them.
  • Dump food before loading up – Make sure you’ve scraped off any food off of your plate before loading up. This will make sure you don’t have to clean out your dishwasher every week as opposed to every few months. Leaving food or anything on your plate will contribute to build-up of debris and affect performance.
  • Only use the dishwasher when full – It is really tempting to just use the dishwasher for even the smallest loads. It’s why you bought the thing, right? So you don’t have to scrub dishes, no matter how many there are. If you have to wash a small load, it may be best to do it by hand or just ensure you use a complementary setting. Otherwise, try to only use your dishwasher when it’s full. This is good for your bills, the environment and for the lifespan of the unit.

For our full range of dishwashers, head to our dedicated section. Choose from integrated, semi-integrated or freestanding models from a number of top, market-leading brands. We also have a gorgeous collection of Fisher & Paykel Dishdrawers for a unique dish washing solution that is as much a cool design feature as it is a functional dishwasher. Please get in touch if you have any queries and enjoy our free delivery which is available when you buy today!

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