I didn't realize that my filters were clogged & not draining properly until things were really nasty. I cleared out the filters & ran white vinegar through the dishwasher several times & use it for the rinse cycle.

However, the dishwasher racks don't seem to be getting clean & still have quite a bit gunk on them. I used something called "Lemi-shine" but it's not cleaning stuff out.

Does anyone have any recommendations for something that will get the gunk off?

I've heard that if you throw the contents of a small bottle of Tang in and run the cycle through, it will clean it.

Tang? like the drink?

Shoot, I buy a on sale dishwasher and use if for year or so and get another one. DH can pop one out and a new one in with his eyes closed. To clean out/replace the discharge hose the dishwasher has to be pulled out anyway. I find a dishwasher on a super clearance buy usually at Lowes or Sears and buy it. The last one cost me $225, stainless. It had a scratch on the front which didn't bother me at all. A magnet will cover it up. It is a Bosch super quiet. Best one so far.

Forgot to say I'm not one that will wash the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. My neighbor will wash her dishes before putting them in. :shock: Cascade Complete is the best detergent I've fond that will remove dried on gunk from dishes. Use the premeasured tabs. Too much detergent will leave the white film you see on dishware and will etch the glass. Never fill both compartments, just the last one to open. The newer washers have self adjusting amounts to discharge, you put in enough detergent to last for a few months. My DD has one like that and she says it works great.

This website seems to offer thorough cleaning instructions:
http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-and-Maintain-a-Dishwasher

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.

You could try spraying the racks (empty, of course) with one of those super shower cleaners that you spray on and it dissolves the soap scum. Spray well and close the dishwasher. Let it sit for awhile, then run the dishwasher (empty, again) using a packet of lemonade Kool-aid or Tang. I wouldn't add any vinegar just yet because it might react to the cleaner.

If you don't want to use the cleaner, heat some vinegar and spray the racks with the warm vinegar. Then let sit and run the wash again with the lemon kool-aid or Tang.

Good luck. :)

I've been known to spray my with a bleach cleaning solution, allow to set for a bit , then rinse on HOT...
I also periodically use a cup of TANG.. yes, the drink stuff...

Question??? Do you think the Tang could be the store brand? and we are putting it in dry, right?

Just Tang - brand name only?

BellaBoo - I do NOT have the option of buying a new dishwasher. The one I currently have is working fine; it just needs to have the racks cleaned.

Plain vinegar will do the trick

Jet dry has a cleaner for them you put in the silver ware rack with out anything else in it works real good I do it about every 6 months.

this is the product, right? http://www.finishdishwashing.com/pro...er-cleaner.php

where do you find this?

**I'm trying not to be stupid/dense; I just want to make sure I'm getting the correct product.

Add a cup of NON-SUDSING ammonia to the empty dishwasher and run it through a cycle.

This is what the lady that runs an appliance store told me to use. Just plain vinegar.... Put it in during the rinse cycle or wait until it's full of wash water and add in then.

i do the same thing with my washing machine..i buy vinegar by the gallon..

baking soda is also a whitener.

A few years ago..comsumer reports claimed that "walmart brand" diswsher detergent was the best.

be sure to run the dishwsher at night,before you go to bed, saves energy and doesn't heat the house up during the day.

I use cream of tartar and it does a wonderful job of cleaning everything. Just put it in the soap pocket and run it on regular wash. It really works Midge

PUT SOME IRON OUT IN THE DISH WATER AND RUN REGULAR CYCLE THAT SHOULD CLEAN THE JOB REALLY WELL I KNOW SEVERAL LADIES HAVE TO DO THEIR'S LIKE LIKE BECAUSE OF THE WATER AND GUNK.BECAREFULL AROUND THE IRON OUT IT WILL CHOKE YOU IN A HEARTBEAT.

Hi,

I had a similar problem. There is a dishwasher cleaner product on the market. I remember using it, got it in the supermarket. It did work, but my dishwasher (practically brand new) was beyond hope. It lasted a week or 2 and then the stench returned. Bad enough that had to ditch the dishwasher (top of the line Kenmore) and bought a new Bosch. Problem solved.

Sorry I don't remember the name of the product or who made it, but look carefully in the dishwasher detergent aisle.

I just discovered Lemi Shine through a friend. For sure, it is the best hard water supplement for getting the film off of glasses. I would try it again on an empty dishwasher to try to clean up the inside.

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!! :)

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.

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.

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.

Pour the ammonia in your compost bin, it breaks down to wonderful nitrogen!

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.

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.

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. :)

Coca-cola. No, not pepsi or any other cola. Coke will clean welding tips so it certainly should clean dishwasher racks.

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.

Can't believe how much I learn on this board. Amazing. DW will get cleaned today. Can't stand for my glassware to be cloudy! Yuk :-(

:-D

We have a lot of manganese in our water, and the plastic inside our dishwasher was starting to stain pale brown.
Yup... just pour tang in your empty dishwasher - fill your soap container with the Tang crystals and run the dishwasher through a regular cycle and the inside of the dishwasher should be sparkling white!

Dishwasher! That's me, no problem with clogs. lol

i would try the vinegar again, just put about a cup in the dispenser cups, turn it on, [do you let the water run hot in your sink, while you turn the dishwasher on] when you hear the water going into the dishwasher,on the first wash, turn it off and let it set awhile, the hot water, and steam should lossen the stuff and wash off.leave the hot air buttom on too,

Put one cup of TANG Orange drink in the bottom of the dishwasher and run it a full cycle, The acid in the orange does a wonderful job.

One of the dishwashing brands have a cleaner NOT cascade but the other one (bought mine in walmart) and u just put it on a peg on the bottom and run it and it comes soo clean

If Tang cleans your dishwasher, imagine what it does to your stomach.

lol pretty sure there's more acid in my tummy already than what's in the Tang!

I use a tablespoon or two of the Lemi-Shine everytime I run my dishwasher and it keeps it as well as all the glasswear squeaky clean. It's a citric acid product and will eventually cause a breakdown of the plastic on the racks but it beats having the darned thing stop working because it's all clogged up with water deposits. LOL

i have heard about the vinegar and the tang, they are suppose to work