The cleaning gurus at BBC Good Food have shared a simple hack for ensuring your dishwasher is bacteria-free and gleaming – and all you need is vinegar. In a recent Instagram post, they detailed the essential parts of your dishwasher that need regular attention, including the racks, filter, cutlery basket, and spray arms, reports the Express.

The caption on Good Food’s post read: “How often do you clean your dishwasher? Reviews writer Natalie talks through the steps of cleaning hers – and it’s actually much easier than she thought it would be!”

They suggested using a sponge with hot soapy water to scrub any muck present inside, alongside suggesting rinse aid as a means to enhance the machine’s dish and glassware rinsing capability. Then, use dishwasher salt to tackle limescale from hard water, followed by reassembling the appliance.

For the ultimate cleaning hack, the professionals recommend placing a cupful of distilled white vinegar on the top shelf and then running a standard cycle. The experts said: “For the finishing touch, I’m adding a cup of distilled white vinegar into a plastic container and running a regular cycle to neutralise any odours, and that’s it.”

Enthusiastic cleaners in the comments section contributed their own tips, with @jacintavela posting: “A quick wash with a spoonful of citric acid leaves it as new!”

Suzie exclaimed: “I never knew you can leave the vinegar in a cup! That’s a tip thank you!!I leave a piece of lemon! The spinner!! Another tip I didn’t realise it goes off!”

But homeowners keen on using vinegar to spruce up their dishwashers should heed the potential repercussions. Specialists at Which? caution against employing apple cider vinegar for such clean-ups, deeming it inappropriate for the task.

Highlighting their advice with an Instagram post from Good Food (@goodfoodeveryday), they assert the importance of opting for dedicated dishwasher cleaners and advise against ad-hoc solutions like apple cider vinegar and lemon. They said: “Do not chuck in apple cider vinegar or lemon juice; it’s a quality piece of engineering, not a fish supper. Course it helps to use the very best dishwasher tablets in the first place.”

A-Bottle-Of-Vinegar-Against-Gray-Background
You’ll need to add white vinegar to a cup and place it in the dishwasher on a full cycle (Image: Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Currys’ appliance specialists suggest that if white vinegar is unavailable, apple cider vinegar could be a decent substitute. However, those opposed to vinegar usage point out its corrosive effects, including deterioration of rubber components and discoloration of metals within the machine.

CNET advised: “Be aware that vinegar can break down the rubber gaskets and hoses in your dishwasher, leading to costly damage. On top of that, if vinegar mixes with salt that’s been left on your dishes, it can discolour metal pans, flatware and mixing bowls.”

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