Woman shares simple tip to save money on dishwasher repair: '$2 now saves $800 later'

Kitchen appliances like your dishwasher can make the daily mundane tasks you don't want to do much more bearable. However, these appliances need regular maintenance and upkeep to run efficiently. 

DIY enthusiast Stephanie Abbott (@AbbottsAtHome) created a how-to guide on YouTube to clean your dishwasher using a couple of things most people have at home: vinegar and an old toothbrush. 

The scoop

In an empty dishwasher, add 1-2 cups of distilled white vinegar to the top rack. Keeping the cup upright on the top rack keeps the vinegar contained while the dishwasher runs through its cycle, which usually starts by draining any excess liquid, Stephanie explained. 

Run the dishwasher with the cup of vinegar on a hot cycle, helping to loosen grime and break down mineral deposits that accumulate inside the appliance — a silent dishwasher killer. 

"$2 now saves $800 later," one DIY enthusiast shared. 

To help the appliance clean even more effectively, clean the dishwasher filters thoroughly. Stephanie recommends cleaning these filters at least once a month. Some dishwashers have two removable filters — one with a much larger reservoir to catch excess food. 

"I was totally shocked when I read my dishwasher manual … After 10 years … I found out that it actually had 2 dishwasher filters that needed to be cleaned," Stephanie wrote in the video's caption. 

Fill the sink with warm, soapy water and dunk the dishwasher filters into the water after the cycle has finished running. 

Using an old toothbrush, scrape off as much of the gunk off the dishwasher filter as you can, and clean out the sludge in the reservoir. 

"It's important to keep your dishwasher filters clean because of course, it's going to make the water in your dishwasher cleaner, but it's also going to make sure you don't have any loose food sitting at the bottom of your dishwasher," Stephanie said. 

When do you typically wash your dishes? Right after cooking 🍳 Right after eating 🍝 A few hours later ⌚ Stop judging me 🫣 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

How it's helping

Dishwashers are only as effective as how well you maintain them. 

If you've noticed little specks of food still stuck on your dishes after running a cycle on the dishwasher, try cleaning out the dishwasher filters. 

Removing excess food scraps from the dishwasher filter prevents it from redepositing onto your clean dishes, allowing the appliance to clean more effectively and reducing the need to use more water and energy to clean the dishes again.

It also keeps your dishwasher from smelling like rotten food.

What everyone's saying

Commenters were grateful for Stephanie's in-depth guide on how to clean a dishwasher — the appliance that keeps a kitchen running smoothly. 

"This video was so helpful, I couldn't believe what I found down there and I never would have known," one commenter wrote.

"Thank you I had no idea," another user commented.

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