The dishwasher is an indispensable kitchen helper for many people. At thegreenlist.nl we also love this appliance, despite it being quite an energy guzzler. Fortunately, you can use your dishwasher a little more sustainably, which makes a difference after all. An important part is maintenance. If you keep your dishwasher properly cleaned regularly, you can enjoy it for longer. Mascha is our expert on eco-friendly cleaning and shares especially for readers of thegreenlist.nl her best eco-friendly cleaning hacks. This time, she shares how she takes good care of her dishwasher. Guess what? You need less violent cleaning stuff than you think.
This is how to clean the dishwasher in an environmentally friendly way
In our house, the dishwasher is used daily for dirty dishes. I prefer to run the dishwasher on a low temperature or eco mode, as it saves water and energy. I also make sure I clean the dishwasher properly every month. Because you might think that such a dishwasher also washes itself clean inside along with the dishes, but nothing could be further from the truth! What about food residues, soap scum and bacteria that cause foul odours? To make sure you don't end up with expensive repairs, or even worse a broken machine, proper maintenance is very important. And doing longer with your appliances is of course a very sustainable choice.
Dishwasher more likely to break down due to poor maintenance?
It certainly can! Rubbers weather due to dirt and soap residue remaining on them. Clogged filters can also cause your dishwasher not to work. If water does not drain properly or rubbers do not work properly, you can get leaks as a result. In short, your dishwasher can suffer usage damage from food residues, soap scum, grease and limescale. This puts you at risk of having to replace parts sooner or ending up with a broken dishwasher.
Baking soda: a panacea for cleaning
With a few basic products, you can do all the jobs around the house. I like to use natural vinegar, baking soda, citric acid and green soap. That way you don't have an overflowing kitchen cupboard, you use fewer plastic bottles and it's also good for your budget. For cleaning the dishwasher, I use baking soda. Baking soda is available in most supermarkets these days, but you can certainly find it online in sustainable (zero waste) webshops. Don't look for it on the cleaning products shelf; it is often found among baking products, because it is also edible!
You can clean the dishwasher in a few steps.
Sustainable cleaning
Taking good care of your things will make them less likely to break down and allow you to use them for longer. So you buy fewer new appliances and other items and reduce your environmental impact. And you can also clean with consideration for the environment. Choose cleaning products such as natural vinegar, baking soda, citric acid and green soap has minimal impact on the environment. By not using too much hot water and being economical in dosing your detergent, you make a sustainable choice. By cleaning sustainably, you reduce the impact of cleaning on the environment.
Sustainable cleaning of your dishwasher
Tools
- tub of hot water
- soft cloth
- couple of tablespoons baking soda
- optional: dash of natural vinegar
Instructions
- Make sure your dishwasher is empty and remove the racks from your machine. Most racks can be removed by lifting. Sometimes you need a little pall or button; check your machine's manual to check! I am bad at keeping all manuals, but have found that I always find them on Ecosia (sustainable alternative to Google) by typing in the serial number and brand. You can often find the serial number on a sticker on your machine. Then save the digital manuals in a ‘manuals’ folder on your phone or other device, and give them an easy-to-find name for quick retrieval.
- Check your dishwasher's spray arms for blockages. On most machines, you can remove the spray arms by loosening a screw or clip. Here, do it carefully and look for the manual if you're not sure. If you see a lot of scale on the spray arms; soak them for a while in a tub of warm water and a splash of (natural) vinegar. I also sometimes use a toothpick to prick the holes of the arms clean. Wash the spray arms with a washing-up brush in a bowl of warm water with a tablespoon of baking soda. Then replace them.
- Also remove the filters of the dishwasher. You can often take them completely apart so you can clean all the parts properly. Wash the parts off with a dish brush in your bowl of water with baking soda. Then rinse the parts with (cold) water and replace them.
- Next is the door's rubber seal. Dirt or food residues can remain on these. To avoid deterioration of your rubbers and leaks, keep them clean. Use a soft cloth and warm water to clean the rubbers thoroughly.
- To clean the inside of the dishwasher, run the machine's hottest programme with a teaspoon of baking soda (no more!) in the soap dish. It makes all grease deposits and any foul odours disappear. And after this, your machine will shine like new again. Put the racks back in your dishwasher so they get clean too. If you have a cleaning programme on your dishwasher, that's the best option for cleaning the machine.
- I immediately use the cleaning round of the dishwasher to check whether there is enough dishwasher salt and rinse aid left in the machine. If necessary, I top these up. As rinse agent, I have been using natural vinegar for years. It works just as well and saves me money and another plastic bottle in my sink cupboard.
- While the machine is running, clean the outside with a soft cloth. If there are a lot of dirty fingers on your door, you can sprinkle a little baking soda on your cloth to easily make the outside shiny again.
Notes
Dishwasher cleaning
Following this step-by-step plan regularly will keep your dishwasher fresh and clean. More importantly, it will keep your dishwasher working properly. This way, you will enjoy your dishwasher for the longest time and it is the most sustainable choice of all!
More sustainable cleaning tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Want to clean your fridge in an eco-friendly way? Then check out the simple step-by-step plan here.
- And what about the freezer? This is how to clean the freezer in an environmentally friendly way!
- Do you have a washing machine that could also use a cleaning? Then read on quickly.
- And also for cleaning your mattress, we have sustainable cleaning tips.
Photo credits: Mascha Bongenaar.
