5 Tips to Prevent Mold in Your Dishwasher

Most people with dishwashers have experienced unpleasant smells and mold buildup at some point. Unfortunately, the combination of an enclosed environment, moisture, warmth, and food debris creates the perfect place for mold spores to grow. Thankfully, with a little care and attention, mold growth can be prevented. Read on to find out what to do!

What Causes Mold To Grow?

Mold needs three things to grow and thrive: moisture, an ambient temperature, and a source of nutrition. Unfortunately, dishwashers provide exactly that! After each cycle, your dishwasher’s interior remains damp and warm, and food scraps provide all the necessary nutrition for mold spores to grow. The filter in particular holds a concentration of food scraps, and if this isn’t changed regularly it creates the perfect, undisturbed place for mold to proliferate. 

If mold is left to grow in your dishwasher, it can invade hard-to-reach nooks and crannies, like the interior of the spray arms and the seals. As these areas are hard to clean and often overlooked during regular cleaning, mold can grow unnoticed and unchecked, leading to a serious issue before you’ve even noticed there’s a problem.  

Preventing Mold in Your Dishwasher:

Preventing mold from growing in your dishwasher is far easier than getting rid of a serious mold issue. These five tips are simple and effective, ensuring your dishwasher stays fresh and mold-free. 

1. Keep the Filter Clean

Keeping your dishwasher filter clean is the number one thing you can do to prevent mold growth. The filter traps food particles that provide nutrients for the mold, and when left uncleaned for long periods mold can grow undisturbed. Your filter should be cleaned once a month at a minimum. Here’s how to do it:

• Remove the bottom shelf of your dishwasher to access the filter. 
• Remove the filter cover if there is one, then remove the filter by unscrewing it counterclockwise. 
• Lift out the filter and wash it thoroughly under running water. 
• Use a small brush and a mild detergent to scrub away any stubborn food debris. 
• If needed, you can soak the filter in warm water for half an hour and then scrub it again. 
• Before putting the filter back in, make sure there’s no food debris in the filter housing. 

2. Let Moisture Evaporate

Moisture is essential for mold growth in your dishwasher. Although it’s obviously not possible to avoid moisture entirely, you can minimize it by ventilating your dishwasher after it finishes. This is particularly important if you’re going to be away from home for long periods as this is one of the most likely times for mold to develop. 

To prevent moisture, always open your dishwasher door a crack when the cycle has finished to allow steam to escape. Try to time your dishwasher cycles so that you’ll be able to ventilate your dishwasher as soon as the cycle finishes if possible.

3. Regularly Clean Your Dishwasher

Regularly running a cleaning cycle is another simple way to prevent mold growth—particularly if you use vinegar. Although commercial dishwasher cleaning products are available, plain white vinegar is more effective as well as completely food-safe. White vinegar kills most types of mold and can kill off mold spores before they begin to grow.

• After cleaning out your dishwasher filter, place a bowl filled with white vinegar on the top shelf of your empty dishwasher. 
• Select the hottest cleaning cycle available and run your dishwasher. 
• When the cycle is finished, open the door to ventilate it. 

4. Rinse or Scrape Plates 

Mold can’t develop without a nutrient source, and in a dishwasher, that nutrient source is food scraps. While it’s not necessary to completely rinse every item before putting it in the dishwasher, avoiding loading heavily soiled dishes will help to prevent the mold problem. Scrape or rinse away any thick sauces or food debris stuck to plates. This will also reduce the amount of clogging in the filter. 

5. Use the Right Detergent

Did you know that detergent and soap scum build-up can actually provide a food source for mold? This is far less likely, however, if you use a high-quality dishwasher detergent. Lower quality detergents are more likely to leave a residue, which can provide a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Make sure you use a detergent that’s recommended for your make and model of dishwasher as following manufacturer recommendations makes buildup less likely. 

Getting Rid of Existing Mold

While preventing mold is possible, sometimes you end up with a mold situation in your dishwasher that needs attention. Maybe you’ve neglected to change your filter or left your dishwasher unventilated while on vacation. Whatever the cause, these things happen!

Thankfully, getting rid of mold is a breeze if you follow these simple steps.

Clean the filter and spray arms

The filter and spray arms are the most common places for mold and mildew to grow. Clean the filter as outlined above, remove the spray arms, and soak them in a vinegar and water solution to ensure all mold spores are killed. 

Clean the seals

Mold can also grow in the seals. Dip a rag or cloth in white vinegar and thoroughly wipe down the seals, ensuring you clean away all mold and mildew. 

Wipe down the interior

Spray undiluted white vinegar on the entire interior of your dishwasher. Leave it to sit for 30 minutes, then wipe away with a dry towel or cloth. 

Run a hot cycle

Place a bowl of undiluted white vinegar on the top shelf of the dishwasher and run your dishwasher on the hottest cycle. Doing this will eliminate any remaining mold spores, ensuring your dishwasher stays clean and mold-free.