Dishwashers do most of the cleaning and scrubbing for you so you don't need to spend hours toiling over the sink, scraping food gunk out of your dinnerware. Because they are exposed to food particles, burnt-on gunk, and hard water deposits, dishwashers may get clogged, causing the appliance to appear non-functional.
Hard water deposits are some of the most common causes from a dishwasher leaving grit and residue on your plates. There are many ways to remove mineral deposits from your dishwasher, both conventional and unconventional methods. In this article, we'll show you how to clean your dishwasher with Tang - yes, the orange juice and lemonade drink powder!
Why Use Tang?
Despite being a breakfast drink, Tang is an effective cleaning agent that can remove hard water stains, soap scum, and residues from dishwasher detergent. This is mainly due to the high levels of citric acid in the powdered drink that dissolves mineral deposits and other grime. Tang is also inexpensive, highly accessible, and non-toxic to use.
While this article will show you how to clean your dishwasher with Tang, we recommend trying other methods first as Tang contains high amounts of sugar and other ingredients that can attract bacteria and mold. Tang also contains colorants that can stain white plates and cookware. Baking soda and white vinegar are among other cleaning solutions you can use.
How to Clean Dishwasher with Tang: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Start with an Empty Dishwasher
First, remove everything from the dishwasher, including the top rack and the bottom rack. Start with an empty dishwasher as this will allow the cleaning solution to get into the nooks and crannies of the dishwasher interior.
Step 2: Start a Short Hot Water Cycle
Run a hot water cycle. This will help soften the gunk inside your dishwasher to make them easier to clean later on. Alternatively, you can also run the hot water on your tap before starting the cleaning cycle.
Step 3: Add Tang to the Detergent Dispenser
Add powdered Tang to the soap dispenser of your dishwasher. As the dishwasher runs a cycle, the citric acid in Tang should clean away any grime or gun in the pipes and drains of your dishwasher. Add Tang to the bottom of the dishwasher as well.
Step 4: Run a Wash Cycle
Run a wash cycle. Let the dishwasher run a normal cycle as usual, and allow the Tang to clean your dishwasher interior. As the hot water runs through the appliance, it melts the Tang, and activates the citric acid, which will tackle the grime and grit.
Step 5: Rinse and Dry
Rinse off your dishwasher by hosing it down, or running a normal cycle with plain water to remove all the Tang residue. After rinsing, leave the dishwasher door open to dry the interior. Doing this will prevent mold and mildew from forming inside your dishwasher.
Tips on Cleaning Your Dishwasher
- Deep clean your dishwasher every month. You can run a Tang, baking soda, lemon juice, or vinegar cycle once a month to clear the hard water residue and grit from your dishwasher, and keep it clean from food residue.
- Use a dishwasher-safe cup when using a vinegar solution to clean your dishwasher. This will ensure the container does not warp or get destroyed under the hottest setting of your dishwasher.
- Use only good-quality dishwasher detergent when cleaning dirty dishes. Low-quality detergent may be able to remove food deposits, but it can also leave gritty, chalky residue on plates, utensils, and cookware.
- Clean the dishwasher filter regularly to prevent clogs, and to keep your dishwasher clean.
- Avoid using bleach to clean a dishwasher with a stainless steel interior. Bleach may corrode the metal, causing it to rust.
Kitchen Cleaning with Ease
Kitchen cleaning doesn't have to be difficult. With Luce Home cleaning services, you're just a call away from a sparkling clean kitchen as our cleaning professionals are well-equipped at tackling regular kitchen grease and grime! Clean your kitchen with ease through Luce Home. Schedule an appointment with us today.
