Check the moving parts that can weaken with age like the doors, spray arms and hoses and look out for early signs of rust and damage.
GIVE THE DISHWASHER A WASH every six months, or sooner if it starts to look grimy. Either use a dishwasher cleaning product
or pour a cup of white vinegar into the empty machine, unless the manufacturer advises against it, and run a wash cycle. Clean
the door edges and seals with dishwashing liquid, checking they are in good condition.
CLEAR BLOCKED SPRAY HOLES that can get clogged by food and mineral deposits. Remove the racks, then unwind the screws that hold the
spray tower or hubcap arm in place. Lift off the arm, clean out the holes with a paperclip and scrub with white vinegar and a nail brush.
CLEAN THE FILTER in the base. How often you need to do this depends on how much you use your machine and how well you rinse the dishes. Start by doing it weekly and increase the time interval if you find it doesn’t need cleaning that often. Wash the filter under running water, clean it with dishwashing liquid solution and rinse thoroughly before refitting it in the machine.
REPLACE HOSES before they break. If your unit has a standard reinforced rubber inlet hose, replace it every two years or upgrade to a braided stainless steel hose. Unless the new hose has metal fittings it only needs to be hand-tightened to be connected.
IF WATER WON’T DRAIN then the strainer or filter may be blocked. If cleaning doesn’t fix it, look for a blockage in the drain hose. Pull out the machine, disconnect the hose and check that it’s clear. If water is still not draining, the drain pump motor probably has a fault and a professional needs to be called in.
Scrape plates first
To keep your filter clean for longer, get into the habit of scraping and rinsing plates and saucepans before putting them in the dishwasher.