how to clean a dishwasher?

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Old 05-23-2011, 04:13 AM
  #21  
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You've all given me some good ideas! I haven't used mine in awhile b/c I couldn't stand the film on the glasses. Thanks!
I may get it working again :)
When just my DH and I are home there aren't many dishes but when the kids come LOTS of them!! :)
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Old 05-23-2011, 04:14 AM
  #22  
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Totally off the subject but do you know you can cook fish in the dishwasher? Season it, wrap it in several layers of foil and pop it on the top rack. Dishes are clean and your dinner is done. Try it.
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Old 05-23-2011, 05:03 AM
  #23  
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DH cleaned ours. It was getting tan inside maybe because we're on a well. He said anything with citric acid will work. He put a pack of Kool Aid in the dispenser and ran it and it came out beautiful.
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Old 05-23-2011, 06:02 AM
  #24  
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Update - the "Lemi-shine" cleaned off the coil in the bottom of the dishwasher. The racks are still dirty, but one step at a time.

I think I'm going to take out the bottom one & wash it by hand in the bathtub. I will have to find out how to take the top rack off so I can do the same thing to it.
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Old 05-23-2011, 06:33 AM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by Tink's Mom
Could you try putting them in a big garbage bag stand up in tub or laundry sink and add a cup of ammonia? Seal bag and let sit over night.
When you are going to open bag....MAKE SURE YOUR FACE IS NOT OVER THE BAG>>>the direct fumes could make you pass out. Pour ammonia down drain and rinse racks.
This is the way that I do my oven racks and the grid from top of stove.
Pour the ammonia in your compost bin, it breaks down to wonderful nitrogen!
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Old 05-23-2011, 06:39 AM
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If your racks have a plastic coating be careful of the products you use to clean them. The plastic will weaken and crack. If you ever see tiny rust spots on your dishes, it's from the spots on the racks where the coating has come off. The racks won't last long when that happens.
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Old 05-23-2011, 07:06 AM
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Word of caution! Be very careful what you put in your dishwasher. I don't know about yours, but mine lets steam into my kitchen through a vent in front. It's a Kitchen Aide dishwasher. You put Ammonia or Bleach in there and it will come out in your kitchen as a vapor and someone could breathe it in. Very bad for your lungs.

And also remember - never ever mix bleach with ammonia! Very toxic together. I never knew that most dish soap had ammonia in it. I was taught as a kid to put one tablespoon of bleach in the dishwater. After reading an article in Dear Heloise I will never put bleach in dishwater again.

My Kitchen Aide is 14 years old. Never any trouble. I use Cascade with Dawn in those cute little cubes. Only one and in the little door area which releases in the wash cycle. Before starting it up, I add 1/2 cup white vinegar and do a rinse cycle. No gunk in the dishwasher and my glasses sparkle.
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Old 05-23-2011, 07:08 AM
  #28  
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I buy the container that they sell that is for cleaning your dishwasher. You put the container with the top down (after opening of course) in the silverware container and run it. Boom, it's clean. Works for me. :)
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Old 05-23-2011, 07:35 AM
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Coca-cola. No, not pepsi or any other cola. Coke will clean welding tips so it certainly should clean dishwasher racks.
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Old 05-23-2011, 07:43 AM
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I used CLR in a dishwasher that was completely encrusted with mineral deposits and a reddish (rust, I imagine) discoloration. Really took it all out and apparently cleaned a lot of stuff I couldn't see, too because the dishes actually got clean after treating the dishwasher.
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