All I can say is yuck.
I’m talking about my dishwasher. Maybe you are ahead of me on this one (and I pray that you are) but as a public service announcement, I have to share this with you: You need to clean your dishwasher. Now!
If you’re thinking, “Why would I need to clean it? Doesn’t it get clean by washing my dishes?” All I can say is, think again.
My friend Jodi offhandedly remarked that she was cleaning her dishwasher because one of the detergents she was using was leaving a white film. Jodi and another friend got into a discussion about how much better it was after the cleaning.
Sheepishly I went home and succumbed to peer pressure. I opened my dishwasher, grabbed a paper towel and some vinegar, reached under the door and thought, “How bad can it be? It’s a dishwasher.” At the first swipe, my towel was covered in something resembling algae and that was it. I was hooked (and completely grossed out.)
I cleaned it from top to bottom, then ran it twice with vinegar. It was far better (it no longer gave me the creeps) but, I still called the repairman to clean out the pump and get rid of the rest.
He recommended using Dishwasher Magic every month or two to break down the disgustingness that get stuck in the pump. He also told me to use Jet Dry in all of my wash cycles and to make sure the water in my kitchen sink was hot right before I started the load. Incidentally, I learned from him that the white film that started this whole thing is due to the removal of phosphates from the detergents.
I’m sure this will lead to the natural follow up question, "Does this mean I need to clean my washing machine too?" The short answer is yes. But after the dishwasher.
