A dishwasher is one of the hardest-working appliances in any home. It scrubs away food residue, removes grease, and ensures your dishes come out sparkling. But over time, food particles, soap scum, grease, and bacteria can build up inside your machine, making it essential to understand how to sanitize a dishwasher and why cleaning alone isn’t enough.
What Does It Mean to Sanitize a Dishwasher?
Sanitizing a dishwasher means reducing or eliminating bacteria and germs that may be lingering inside the appliance. Unlike basic cleaning, which focuses on removing visible dirt and grime, sanitizing targets invisible pathogens that can contribute to odors, poor performance, and potential contamination of your dishes.
Glisten Dishwasher Cleaner goes a step further by getting rid of harmful bacteria using EPA-registered ingredients. If you’ve been wondering how to disinfect a dishwasher or how to sanitize a dishwasher effectively, it’s important to know that not all cleaners are created equal.
Cleaning vs. Sanitizing: Why Both Matter
Understanding the difference between cleaning and sanitizing is key to maintaining a well-functioning and hygienic dishwasher. While cleaning removes debris and buildup that can clog filters or cause foul odors, sanitizing reduces the number of bacteria on surfaces to safe levels. For a dishwasher to run efficiently and keep your dishes clean, both cleaning and sanitizing should be part of your regular maintenance routine.
Without regular cleaning, food scraps and mineral deposits can accumulate in hidden areas such as spray arms, filters, and door seals. These deposits can harbor bacteria and mold, leading to odors and cross-contamination of your clean dishes.
Sanitizing is especially important if someone in your household has been sick, if you live in an area with hard water, or if your dishes often come out with a cloudy film or unpleasant smell.
How Do You Sanitize a Dishwasher?
There are several ways to sanitize your dishwasher, ranging from home remedies to specialized products. A common DIY approach involves using white vinegar and baking soda. While this method may help clean surface stains and reduce odors, it does not fully disinfect the appliance. It also doesn’t reach deep into hidden crevices where food and grease are likely to build up.
For more thorough results, consider using a product specifically designed to clean and sanitize dishwashers, such as Glisten Dishwasher Cleaner.
How to Disinfect Your Dishwasher With Glisten
Using Glisten is simple and effective. Here’s how to sanitize your dishwasher using this trusted product:
- Empty the dishwasher so there are no dishes or detergent inside.
- Remove the cap from the Glisten bottle, but do not remove the wax seal.
- Place the bottle upside down in the bottom rack of your dishwasher. The wax plug in the cap will melt during the cycle, releasing the cleaner.
- Run the dishwasher on the hottest, longest cycle. This ensures optimal cleaning and sanitizing performance.
- Repeat once a month to maintain a hygienic and efficient machine.
By following this process, you ensure that your dishwasher not only looks clean but is also free from germs.
How Often Should You Sanitize Your Dishwasher?
It’s good practice to clean and disinfect your dishwasher at least once a month. If you use your dishwasher frequently or have hard water, you may benefit from sanitizing more often. Regular maintenance helps prevent clogs, improves cleaning performance, and prolongs the life of your appliance.
Try Glisten for an Easy Deep Clean
If having to clean and sanitize your dishwasher sounds like a headache or just another chore to add to the list, it doesn’t have to be. Glisten Dishwasher Cleaner can do both in one easy step, with no need for specialty equipment or scrubbing.
By making cleaning and sanitizing part of your routine, you’ll enjoy a fresher-smelling kitchen, a better-performing dishwasher, and peace of mind every time you unload the top rack.