In the fall and winter, the dishwasher often works closed, without ventilation, and leftover food, grease and moisture create ideal conditions for the smell of mold and rot. Even after a wash cycle, the dishes sometimes smell musty and the inside of the machine smells damp. Store-bought tablets mask the odor for a while, but do not remove its cause.
But there is an easy and cheap way to freshen up your dishwasher using baking soda and citric acid, which you already have in your kitchen.
How to do:
- Remove the filter and rinse it under running warm water.
- Place 1/2 cup baking soda in the bottom of the machine.
- Pour 1 tablespoon of citric acid into the rinse aid tray.
- Run the hot cycle without any cookware.
Soda neutralizes fat and organic residues, and citric acid dissolves scale and kills bacteria. Together they remove not only the smell, but also the source of its appearance.
For prevention, do this once every 2 weeks. If the smell is strong, perform the procedure twice with an interval of 2 days.
This method is safe for all types of machines, leaves no residue and does not require the purchase of expensive products.
