How to Clean an Automatic Dishwasher? | Deep Clean Routine

Cleaning an automatic dishwasher takes about ten minutes of hands-on work plus one empty cycle, using either white vinegar for mineral deposits or a specialized tablet for grease and odors.

A dishwasher that smells sour or leaves spots on glasses isn’t broken — it’s just overdue for a cleaning. Food particles, hard-water scale, and soap scum build up inside the filter, spray arms, and seals over time. The fix is a straightforward sequence: clear the debris, scrub the filter, wipe the interior seals, and run an empty hot-water cycle with the right cleaner. Most dishwashers need this every one to three months, and the whole process costs a few dollars in supplies.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these items before opening the dishwasher door. Most are already in your kitchen or cleaning cabinet.

• White distilled vinegar — 2 cups for mineral-scale removal
• Baking soda — 1 cup for deodorizing
• Specialized dishwasher cleaner — Finish® tablets or liquid, KitchenAid tablets, or Bosch descaler (pick one)
• Soft toothbrush — for scrubbing the filter mesh without damage
• Non-scratch sponge or microfiber cloth — for wiping interior surfaces and the door gasket
• Pipe cleaner or small brush — for clearing spray-arm holes

Step 1: Remove Food Debris From the Tub and Racks

Open the dishwasher and pull out the bottom rack. Pick out any visible food chunks, wet paper labels, glass shards, or bone fragments from the bottom of the tub and around the drain area. A folded paper towel works well for grabbing small wet pieces. This step prevents debris from clogging the drain pump during the cleaning cycle.

Step 2: Clean the Filter Assembly

The filter sits at the bottom of the dishwasher, under the lower spray arm. Most residential filters twist out with a quarter-turn counterclockwise (KitchenAid, Cafe/Cool) or a clockwise unlock (Beko). Lift it out, separate the metal mesh from the plastic frame if your model allows, and rinse both under warm running water.

Use a soft toothbrush and mild dish soap to scrub the mesh — stuck-on grease and tiny food particles collect here. Rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear. Lock the filter back into place, making sure it clicks or seats firmly. A loose filter lets food circulate back onto clean dishes.

Step 3: Wipe Interior Seals and Spray Arms

Run a damp microfiber cloth along the rubber gasket around the door. Food slime and mold tend to collect in the folds of the seal, especially near the bottom corners. Wipe the edges of the door and the detergent dispenser recess.

Inspect the spray arms for clogged holes. Hold each arm under the faucet and look for streams coming from every nozzle. If some holes are blocked, poke them gently with a pipe cleaner — never use a knife or metal object, which can crack the plastic permanently.

Step 4: Run a Cleaning Cycle With Vinegar or a Tablet

Decide which route fits your dishwasher’s biggest problem:

The Vinegar Method (for hard-water scale and mineral buildup)

Fill a dishwasher-safe glass or measuring cup with 2 cups of white vinegar and place it upright on the bottom rack. Do not add detergent. Run a complete cycle on the hottest setting — Normal, Sanitize, or Intensive. Select Air-dry or Energy-saving dry instead of heated drying so the vinegar lingers longer during the rinse phase.

The Specialized Tablet Method (for grease, odors, and routine maintenance)

Place one tablet in the detergent cup and close it. If your dishwasher has significant hard-water buildup, KitchenAid recommends dropping a second tablet loose into the bottom of the tub. Run a full hot cycle with no detergent added — the tablet replaces the soap entirely. Follow the same air-dry setting.

How Often to Clean Each Part

Step 5: Deodorize With Baking Soda (If Needed)

If the dishwasher still smells musty after the vinegar or tablet cycle, sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda across the bottom of the tub. Run a short hot cycle — Rinse or Quick Wash — and select air-dry. The baking soda neutralizes trapped odors that the cleaner didn’t reach.

Common Mistakes That Damage Your Dishwasher

• Bleach: Avoid using chlorine bleach inside the tub. It corrodes stainless steel interiors and deteriorates rubber door seals over time. Manufacturers including KitchenAid and Finish explicitly recommend against it for routine cleaning.
• Abrasive scrubbers: Steel wool and scouring pads scratch the filter mesh, spray-arm plastic, and stainless exteriors. Stick with non-scratch sponges and soft toothbrushes.
• Sharp tools in spray arms: Poking with a knife or screwdriver cracks the plastic around the nozzles. Use a pipe cleaner or a dedicated spray-arm brush.
• Detergent with cleaner: Adding dish soap alongside a cleaning tablet or vinegar creates over-sudsing that can leak onto your kitchen floor. Run the cycle with cleaner only.
• Skipping the filter rinse: A clogged filter forces the pump to work harder and recirculates food particles. Clear it before every deep-clean cycle.

When Odors Won’t Go Away — The Sump Check

If you’ve cleaned the filter, run a vinegar cycle, and tried baking soda but the smell lingers, the blockage is likely in the sump — the wet area beneath the bottom panel where the pump sits. A chunk of food or a broken glass shard can sit there for months without being flushed out. This is the one repair that usually requires a service technician, though some homeowners remove the bottom panel and reach the sump by hand. If the dishwasher is still under warranty, contact the manufacturer rather than opening the panel yourself.

Finish With the Routine That Fits Your Water Type

The single most important variable is your local water hardness. If you see white scale on glasses or the interior, use the vinegar method every three months and consider a whole-house water softener. If your problem is greasy film or odors, the specialized tablet route works better and needs doing monthly. Either way, the filter and spray-arm check takes five minutes and buys your dishwasher years of reliable performance.

If your current dishwasher is nearing the end of its life or you’re looking for a model with a self-cleaning filter and better drying, our tested roundup of automatic dishwashers covers the top performers for 2026.