A dirty dishwasher can emit odors, allow the growth of bacteria and turn an otherwise attractive appliance into an eyesore. Although there are many commercial dishwasher cleaners available they can be pricey, use harsh chemicals and do a less than spectacular job. This means that if you opt to put in a small bit of effort you can clean a dishwasher better, and best of all accomplish the feat in a short time frame.

The first step to clean a dishwasher is to remove the utensil basket and dish racks. The best way for clean these is to place them into your bathtub to soak in a combination of hot water, a cup of baking soda and a few ounces of dish detergent. While these are soaking you can go to your dishwasher and remove any food particle by the drain using your hand or a wet cloth.

The next step to clean a dishwasher is to fill a quart spray bottle with 8 ounces of white vinegar and 24 ounces of warm water. Spray the entire inside of your dishwasher working from the top down and allow the mixture to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Spray the dishwasher again and use a soft brush to GENTLY rub the trouble areas. If all looks good you can rinse the dishwasher with a wet rag - if stains still persist you can cut a lemon in half and rub the stained areas. leaving the lemon juice to remain on them.You can clean the dish racks and utensil basket using the same soft brush, thoroughly rinsing them before returning them to the dishwasher. The last step to clean a dishwasher is to place a cup of baking soda into the machine's detergent receptacle and run the machine empty on the highest heat setting.