How to clean your dishwasher

The dishwasher is arguably one of the most underrated heroes of the kitchen. It takes on the unexciting task of cleaning your plates, glasses, cutlery, pots, and pans; freeing up your time and energy for the things you actually enjoy. But like any hardworking appliance, it needs a little care and attention to keep performing at its best. With a bit of regular maintenance, your dishwasher will stay efficient, reliable, and ready to tackle the next load.

Read this guide to learn how to look after your dishwasher…

Inspect the dishwasher – after every cycle

After each cycle, remove all the dishes and take a quick look around the interior. Check the walls and the bottom of the dishwasher for any debris, grease, or limescale. If you spot any build up, follow the steps below to keep your appliance clean and ensure your cookware comes out perfectly washed every time.

Clean the filter - at least every 2 weeks.

The filter catches all the food debris from your cookware, preventing it from blocking your drains. Over time, this build-up can lead to unpleasant smells and even block water from draining properly. When that happens, your dishwasher may struggle to clean your dishes as thoroughly as it should.

How to clean…

1. Remove filter unit. This is located at the bottom of the dishwasher.
2. Rinse under the tap.
3. Reinstall the filter unit.

Ways to reduce how often you must do this…

Scraping your dirty plates or pans before placing them in the dishwasher can reduce the frequency you have to clean the filter.

Upgrade your dishwasher to the Hisense - HS663A90XUK which features a self-cleaning filter this requires minimal maintenance so you don’t have to do this task weekly.

Clean the spray arms - every month

The spray arms, located at the top and sometimes the bottom of your dishwasher, rotate during each cycle to distribute water and ensure every pot, pan, and plate gets a thorough clean. Over time, however, limescale and trapped food particles can clog the tiny spray holes. When this happens, the water flow weakens, and your dishwasher may struggle to deliver the sparkling results you expect.

How to clean…

1. Remove the baskets.
2. Unscrew the spray arms.
3. Clean gently with a brush then use a cocktail stick to unclog the holes.
4. Spray with a white vinegar solution and leave to soak, if necessary, then clean with soapy water.
5. Reinstall the arms. 

After each load leave the door ajar to allow the interior to dry and reduce limescale build up – Upgrade to the Hisense - HV693A60UVADUK  which has a fan dry feature and an auto dry door that automatically pops open at the end of the cycle to allow steam to escape and all the contents to dry.

Deep clean your dishwasher - every 3 months

It’s normal for your dishwasher to develop limescale when water leaves behind calcium and magnesium on the surface. Grease can also build up from oils and food residue that cling to the interior during each cycle. Together, these deposits can cause smells and reduce cleaning performance. But completing this clean every few months can get rid of this.

How to clean

Method 1: home-made solutions…

1. Remove any plates, glasses, cutlery or cookware and complete the above guides to clean the filter and spray arms.
2. Place a cup of white vinegar in the top basket.
3. Run hot cycle.
4. Sprinkle baking soda at the bottom.
5. Run a short hot cycle.

Method 2: Commercial dishwasher cleaners

1. Remove any plates, glasses, cutlery or cookware and complete the above guides to clean the filter and spray arms.
2. Place a commercial dishwasher cleaner into the dishwasher.
3. Run a hot cycle. 

How to reduce how often you must do this…

By completing the above guides to clean the filter and the spray arms your dishwasher will run more effectively and there will be a slower build-up of grease or limescale in your dishwasher.

Clean the exterior – daily/weekly

It’s easy for food to spill down the front or sides of your dishwasher, and over time this can lead to a build-up of grease and grime that may even turn into mould. Keeping on top of these small messes is important; quick, regular wipe-downs are far easier than tackling a heavy clean later.

How to clean…

1. Soak a cloth in warm soapy water.
2. Wipe down the edges and rubber seals after every cycle to remove food debris that has gotten stuck.
3. Wipe down the front every week to keep your appliance looking sparkling clean. 
4. Polish any stainless-steel fronts with a stainless-steel cleaner, if applicable.

Ways to reduce how often you must do this…

Doing this weekly before any food bits have moulded the rubber edges of the dishwasher is much easier than having to do a big clean. So, while you wipe down your kitchen after your meal, just wipe down the dishwasher too. Or after every cycle give the exterior a quick wipe.

Upgrade to the Hisense - HV693A60UVADUK which features a Hygiene Guard with UV Technology that sanitises rinsing water with UV technology, removing 99.9% of bacteria leaving your dishes and dishwasher interior cleaner and more hygienic.

Extra hints and tips

Stacking your dishwasher correctly can be essential to ensuring the smooth running of each cycle, this ensures that all you plates, pans bowls etc are fully clean at the end reducing the amount of food debris that can be left at the end of the cycle. Follow this guide to find out how to do this. 

Looking after your dishwasher can be hard and it is easy to create habits that you may not realise are harmful to your appliance so read these Common Dishwashing Mistakes to find out how you can improve your habits to increase the effectiveness and longevity of your appliance.

Dishwasher cleaning schedule

Hisense ranges many dishwashers that are designed to help leave you dishware sparkling and reduce your stress in the kitchen view the full range here: Best Dishwashers for UK Homes | Hisense UK

Large Capacity:

16 place setting is designed to fit more plates, bowls and cookware so you don’t need to overfill your dishwasher in a way that nothing gets cleaned properly, allowing food debris to build.

Self-cleaning filter:

The filter cleans itself, so you don’t need to remove and clean it every week anymore.

Auto dry:

The auto dry feature means the door pops open as soon and the auto dry fan turns on as the cycle is finished to dry your plates and the interior to reduce the build up of limescale and mildew.

Hygiene Guard with UV Technology:

Built-in UV technology sanitises rinsing water, removing 99.9% of bacteria for extra hygiene and a cleaner dishwasher and dishes.

Regular maintenance keeps your dishwasher working efficiently and helps it last longer. By cleaning the filter, checking the spray arms, and keeping the interior free from build-up, you’ll get consistently better wash results and avoid bigger issues down the line. A little upkeep really does make a noticeable difference.

Shop Hisense Dishwashers  to upgrade your dishwasher and improve your living now.