The Fresh Lemon Cleaning Trick That Revives A Smelly Dishwasher - Tasting Table

"Dishwashers are some of the most underrated appliances in the kitchen - they're always there to clean up the mess. But you do need to take care of your dishwasher so it can keep working as intended. Hard water mineral buildup and old food residue stuck in filters and corners can make your dishwasher run poorly and smell bad. There are things you can buy at the store"

"We already know there are plenty of ways to clean your kitchen with fresh lemon. Instead of tossing out your old lemons, place half a lemon on each rack of your dishwasher before running it. It will release some juice and oils during the wash cycle, helping to deodorize the entire dishwasher and remove some lime and mineral deposits. You get clean dishes with a faint lemon scent, while the oils in the lemon work to prevent water spots and cloudy glasses."

"Lemons are loaded with citric acid, which is what makes them so effective at cleaning. If you have a smelly dishwasher that's making your dishes smell weird, that acid can cut through grease and grime easily - and the scent is a nice bonus. Combined with your normal dishwashing detergent and hot water, fresh lemons add another layer of cleaning power to your wash cycle."

"If you are using a fresh lemon and cutting it in half, make sure you take the seeds out - you don't want those getting stuck in your dishwasher and causing problems. You don't need to remove all the pulp, either. Just put the lemon cut side down on a rack amongst your dirty dishes. If you don't want to pluck old lemons out of the dishwasher, another option is to use a bowl of fresh lemon juice on the top rack."

Dishwashers can accumulate hard water minerals and old food residue that reduce cleaning performance and cause odors. Fresh lemons provide citric acid and natural oils that cut grease, deodorize, and help dissolve lime and mineral buildup. Placing half a lemon cut-side-down on each rack or a bowl of lemon juice on the top rack during a hot wash cycle releases juice and oils to deodorize and reduce water spots and cloudy glasses. Seeds should be removed to avoid clogging. Combined with regular detergent and hot water, lemons offer an inexpensive, natural boost to dishwasher cleaning.

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