How Do You Keep the Inside of your Dishwasher From Getting MOLDY?

[GoofyGolferGirl]

I don't have the problem either but mine is always running! I am like pigletto my be leave it cracked or even open during the day or at night to let it air out . I leave my front end loader open / cracked to let the air circulate. I put vinegar in everything to clean the lines! Ha don't know if it helps but I figure it can't hurt! Good Luck!!

 

[britfish]

how do you put vinegar in for a cycle, just pour a cup or two in the bottom in the begining of the cycle?

 

[ceecee]

I've never had that problem, we only use the dishwasher once a week or less. Sounds like there has to be some water that isn't draining and causing the mold issue.

 

[KJF]

Mine is ~ 7 yrs old, cheaper model & we haven't had that problem. After running it, before going to bed I completely open it & pull out the racks. The main reason is cause mine stinks at drying the dishes, so I let the dishes dry overnight & put them away in the morning. But, it also allows the machine to dry out, so no mold or funny smells.

 

[BearHawk]

We had standing water in the bottom of the tub due to a part in the back that wasn't closing properly (drain line was fine) Since water was sitting in tub for a period of time until we had it fixed, we had some mold. Repairman said to put a cup full of vinegar on the rack and run through the cycle to take care of the mold and then do that every month or so to help keep things clean. It worked.

 

[BuzzandAriel'smom]

My husband designs dishwashers and the electrical cleaning components for a global company and he says to run the sanitary cycle at least once a week and to clean out your food filter at the bottom of the dishwasher. I like to run vinegar in the jet dry dispenser as well.

There is a cleaner that you can buy to clean your dishwasher if it is stainless steel inside. It does work.

 

[blanq]

I have never had mold build up in any dishwasher I have owned, but I have had a film/scale develop that Tang has taken care of easily. I did find the below information from a web site once, when I was looking for information about cleaning the interior of my dishwasher.

Step 1: Check the temperature preset before cleaning your dishwater. This is the temperature of the water used for washing. Some dishwashers require water to be 120 degrees or higher, while others require 140 degrees or higher. Check your dishwasher’s make & model mentioned in the user’s manual. Learn if your dishwasher has a pre-heating mechanism for water when it is too cold. Use a thermometer to measure the temperature just before the washing cycle begins.

Step 2: Identify and locate the type of cleaning required in your dishwasher. Check the manufacturers booklet that came with your dishwasher, or check the manufacturers web site. Scale, rust, mold, discoloration and food stains are some of the most common concerns that require regular cleaning. Follow the steps below to clean each of these...

Step 3: Add one tbsp of bleach after emptying the contents of dishwasher. Run a full cycle. This will clean any mold built up in the dishwasher and leave the dishwasher sparkling and glowing.

Step 4: Try cleaning discoloration and scale off your dishwasher by adding one half container of Orange Tang Drink Mix. The citric acid present in the mixture helps to loosen up the hard water deposits as it removes and cleans the scale from your dishwasher. Run a regular cycle.

Step 5: Place a coffee cup filled with vinegar in the dishwashing rack and run a full cycle of dishwashing. This will clean your entire dishwasher. This is one of the easiest techniques and works well as preventive care. If vinegar is unavailable you can also use baking soda.

 

[Cjmuma]

Ok... I have mold issues at my house too. The best thing I have ever found to get rid of mold is plain old clorox bleach. It truely works well. I have issues in my bathroom because there isn't very good air circulation, and bleach always works. I scrub the walls with it about once every six months. My mother has had her dishwasher for almost 20 years, and has never had any mold issues, so I asked her what she did, She suggested to leave the door cracked open, so it will dry out. It made sense to me. Good Luck!
Cj

 

[bamagirl@hrt]

I had this problem when my house (and thus my dishwasher) was only 4 years old. My dishwasher was near top of the line too. Turns out that the heater in the dishwasher had burnt out, so the water wasn't getting hot enough. That caused the mold to grow. Since I had the heater replaced, I haven't had any problems with mold. I do use Dishwasher Magic once a month to keep it fresh.

 

[Evi]

I've never had mold but when we bought our house the one here was kinda funky to say the lease. I purchased 2 bottles of dishwasher cleaner ran 4 cycles first cycle was just set to high with 2 cups of vinegar sprayed all over inside I sprayed vinegar and then let it sit for like 10 mins before running it on high I then ran 2 more cycles with the dishwasher cleaner and the final one I did with baking soda I didn't run the dry cycle until the end of the last cycle and washer was good as new never had to do anything else and have never had a problem since. Good luck