Here’s something nobody tells you when you move into your first place: the dishwasher needs to be cleaned. I know, I know — it cleans things, so why does it need cleaning? But if you’ve ever opened your dishwasher and been hit with a smell that should not be coming from a kitchen appliance, you already know the answer. Food particles, grease, and soap scum build up over time and that’s what’s causing the stink. The good news is that cleaning it is genuinely quick and easy once you know what you’re doing.

What You’ll Need

• A dishwasher cleaner (Lemi Shine is a great option — it’s affordable and works really well)
• White vinegar
• Baking soda
• An old toothbrush or small scrub brush
• A microfiber cloth or sponge
• Dish soap

How Often Should You Clean Your Dishwasher?

Once a month is the sweet spot for a full clean. If you’re running your dishwasher multiple times a week, you might notice smells or residue building up faster — in that case, every two to three weeks is better. A quick wipe-down of the door seal and edges can be done weekly as part of your regular kitchen clean and it makes a big difference between deep cleans.

Step 1: Clean the Filter

This is the step that most people don’t know exists, and it’s also the main reason dishwashers start to smell. There is a filter at the bottom of your dishwasher — usually a cylindrical piece that twists out — and it collects food debris from every single wash cycle. If you’ve never cleaned yours before, brace yourself. It might be a little gross.

To clean it: twist or pull the filter out according to your dishwasher’s manual (most twist counterclockwise), rinse it under warm running water, and scrub it gently with an old toothbrush and a drop of dish soap to get any stuck-on debris. Rinse it clean and pop it back in. That’s it. Do this every month and you’ll notice a huge difference in how your dishwasher smells and how clean your dishes come out.

Step 2: Wipe Down the Door, Seal, and Edges

The rubber seal around the door is another spot where grime loves to hide. Use a damp microfiber cloth or sponge with a little dish soap to wipe around the entire door seal, getting into the folds where residue collects. Do the same for the edges of the door, the buttons or control panel on the front, and the interior walls of the door itself. These spots rarely get hit with water during a cycle so they accumulate buildup over time.

Step 3: Run a Vinegar Cycle

Place a dishwasher-safe bowl or cup filled with one cup of white vinegar on the top rack of your empty dishwasher. Run a full hot water cycle. The vinegar works through the interior of the machine, breaking down grease, soap scum, and any lingering odors. It’s cheap, effective, and completely safe for your dishwasher. Don’t add any detergent for this cycle — just the vinegar in the bowl.

Step 4: Run a Baking Soda Cycle

Once the vinegar cycle is done, sprinkle one cup of baking soda along the bottom of the dishwasher and run a short hot water cycle. Baking soda deodorizes and leaves the interior of the machine looking noticeably brighter and fresher. This two-cycle combo — vinegar then baking soda — is the most effective natural cleaning method for a dishwasher and it takes almost no effort.

Step 5: Use a Dishwasher Cleaner Tablet Once a Month

For a deeper clean, use a dishwasher cleaner tablet or powder once a month in addition to the vinegar and baking soda method. Lemi Shine is one of the best options — it targets mineral buildup and hard water deposits that vinegar alone doesn’t fully remove. Just follow the instructions on the package: most involve placing the cleaner in the detergent cup or sprinkling it in the bottom of the machine and running a hot cycle. Your dishwasher will smell completely fresh afterward and your dishes will come out cleaner too.

Step 6: Clean the Spray Arms

The spray arms — the rotating pieces that shoot water during a cycle — can get clogged with food particles and mineral deposits over time, which means your dishes aren’t getting as clean as they should be. Pull them off (most snap or unscrew off easily), rinse them under running water, and use a toothpick or skewer to clear out any clogged holes. Rinse thoroughly and reattach. You only need to do this every couple of months, but it makes a real difference in cleaning performance.

Tips to Keep Your Dishwasher Cleaner Between Washes

• Scrape plates before loading them. You don’t need to pre-rinse everything (modern dishwashers are designed to handle some food residue) but large chunks of food should go in the trash, not the dishwasher. The filter will thank you.
• Leave the door slightly open after a cycle. Letting the interior air out after a wash prevents moisture from sitting inside and creating that musty smell. Just crack it open an inch and leave it for a few hours.
• Use the hot water cycle for greasy loads. The hotter the water, the better it dissolves grease and cuts through residue inside the machine as well as on your dishes.
• Clean the filter monthly. Seriously — this one step alone will prevent most of the odor problems people associate with dishwashers. It takes two minutes.
• Use a rinse aid. Rinse aid prevents water spots and helps dishes dry faster, but it also helps keep the interior of the machine cleaner between deep cleans by improving drainage and reducing residue buildup.

Signs Your Dishwasher Needs a Clean Right Now

• There’s a bad smell when you open the door
• Dishes are coming out with a white film or spots
• There’s visible grime or buildup around the door seal
• The interior looks dull, gray, or discolored
• Dishes aren’t coming out as clean as they used to

Any one of these is a sign it’s time for a full clean. The good news is that once you’ve done it once, the whole process takes about ten minutes of actual effort and then you just let the machine run its cycles. Add it to your monthly cleaning routine and you’ll never deal with a smelly dishwasher again.