Buying your first home often comes with many new responsibilities. If you’ve never had a dishwasher, you’re not alone! Many first-time homeowners wonder how to keep it clean, what can (and can’t) go in it, and how to load it properly. I got my first dishwasher in my 30s and never want to live without one again. I love it!
🧽 Dishwasher Cleaning & Maintenance Basics
A dishwasher that smells bad or isn’t cleaning well probably just needs a cleaning. Most people don’t know how to do this, even people who have used dishwashers for years, so you’re not alone if this is new info for you!
I do the following every 2-4 weeks:
- Remove and clean the filter. The filter is almost always on the floor of the dishwasher, and you unscrew it. It can get clogged with food bits and reduce performance. Most twist out easily and can be hand-washed with hot water, dish soap, and a sponge or scrub brush. Watch a video on YouTube of your dishwasher model if you can’t figure out how to remove yours. This needs to be done every few weeks.
- Run a cleaning cycle with an Affresh Dishwasher Cleaning Tablet in the soap dispenser to remove grease and buildup. I do this once a month.
- Inspect the spray arms and wipe down the door gasket and inside edges with a microfiber cloth and dish soap. This keeps things running smoothly and avoids that gross dishwasher musty smell.
- Wipe down the outside, the panel, and the handle, too.
🍽 How to Load a Dishwasher
This is often a heated subject in households.
- Top Rack: Cups, glasses, small bowls, plastic containers (labeled dishwasher-safe only!), and lightweight items.
- Bottom Rack: Plates, larger bowls, pots, and pans.
- Silverware Basket: Mix up forks, knives, and spoons to avoid “nesting.” Hand wash your sharp knives to keep them sharp.
Pro Tips:
- Avoid blocking the spray arms.
- Don’t load stuff on top of each other so it can’t get sprayed either.
- Angle items so water can run off.
- Don’t overload — less is more when it comes to clean dishes.
🚫 What Not to Put in Your Dishwasher
Some items are better off hand-washed to prevent damage:
- Wooden Utensils/Cutting Boards: Wood will warp and crack. Also, don’t forget wooden handles.
- Sharp Knives: Knives will dull quickly in the dishwasher. Don’t ruin your nice knives.
- Nonstick Surfaces: The coating can degrade over time, and you don’t want to cook on flaky nonstick.
- Anything Aluminum: This includes baking sheets, baking tins, some KitchenAid mixer accessories, Nordic Ware, those old ice cream scoops… Aluminum reacts to the dishwasher soap and oxidizes, creating a grey powder coating on everything and wearing down the surface.
- All Clad Stainless Cookware: The multi ply stuff has aluminum between the stainless, and it’ll wear down causing the edges to be really sharp. If your cookware has folded edges, and the manufacturer says it’s okay, go for it.
- Cast Iron: You should know this already. Also, don’t put those Le Creuset dutch ovens in either, the edges are raw and could rust.
- Insulated Mugs or Travel Cups: Dishwashers can ruin their vacuum seal.
- Crystal or Thin, Delicate Glassware: Unless you don’t care if it breaks. Also, no milk glass or hand-blown glass.
- Your Grandmother’s China: Often, the glazes used on older china can’t take the harsh dish soaps and will wear off or bleach out. Plus, they’re delicate and can break easily.
- Anything with Gold: Again, your grandmother’s china. Also, any Alex Simon or Katie Marks mug. Please hand wash your treasured ceramics.
- Real Silver. It’ll get really dark and discolored, and the plating will wear off if it’s not solid silver.
- Copper Pots or Mugs: Again, the metal gets really discolored.
- Children and/or Pets: Use the bathtub for these items.
When in doubt, check the bottom of the item for a dishwasher-safe label or Google it.
💡 Bonus Tips
- Scrape, don’t rinse. Modern dishwashers work best with a little residue on dishes, it gives detergent something to latch onto. You do NOT need to pre-wash your dishes, despite what your family does. Please don’t do this, it wastes water and your time. Let the machine do the work.
- The brand of soap matters. I used the hippy stuff from New Seasons for years, but my dishes never really came out clean. I finally broke down and got the harsh stuff, and now my stuff is squeaky clean. It just works better. If your dishes aren’t getting clean enough, I recommend Cascade Platinum Plus, and if you’re scent sensitive like me and can’t stand perfumes, they have an unscented version, called Cascade Free & Clear. Make sure you are putting the pod or soap in the soap dispenser, not just throwing it into the bottom of the machine. And don’t use hand-washing soap in your dishwasher unless you want a kitchen foam party.
- Use rinse aid. It helps prevent spots and improves drying. I use Finish.
- Replacement time? If your dishwasher is old or broken or just not doing the job well, and it’s time for a replacement, I think Bosch 🥈 and Miele 🥇 are the best brands to get. If you can’t afford a new one, I often find them used and reasonably priced on Facebook Marketplace! It can be cheaper to go this route than to try to hire someone to fix your old machine. Let me know if you need someone to help you install it.
- Follow Melissa Pateras on Instagram or TikTok. She’s got some excellent dishwasher advice, along with her normal laundry content.
Got any questions? I’m always here to help! Feel free to reach out with all your real estate and homeowner needs.