How to Clean a Dishwasher: 5 Steps, How Often, Smells and White Film

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How to clean a dishwasher in 5 steps

About 25 minutes (our estimate), plus one cycle.

1. Clear the tub floor (2 minutes). Pick out food, labels and broken glass.
2. Clean the filter (10 minutes). Twist it counterclockwise and lift it out. Wash it in warm, soapy water with a soft brush (Whirlpool says no wire brush), then lock it back in.
3. Clear the spray arms (5 minutes). Spin each arm by hand and push debris out of blocked holes with a toothpick (Bosch, LG).
4. Wipe the door seal (5 minutes). A damp cloth and dish soap, into the folds and under the door's bottom edge.
5. Run the cleaning cycle. Run the sink's hot tap until hot, then put one BLITZ Dishwasher Cleaner tablet in the detergent compartment and run a normal cycle, with no dishes and no detergent. Leave the door ajar to dry.

How often should you clean your dishwasher?

KitchenAid says about every 30 days, Bosch every 1 to 2 months and Frigidaire every 3 months. Rinse the filter monthly (Whirlpool, GE). BLITZ is made for every two weeks: one box is a year.

Each maker sets its own interval, from monthly to every 3 months. A BLITZ tablet every two weeks stays ahead of all of them.

Why does my dishwasher smell?

A rotten-food smell is almost always the filter: LG warns that a neglected one "may generate an offensive odor." A sewer smell means drain water from the sink or garburator is getting back in: no cleaner fixes that.

Why your dishwasher smells bad: five checksSour, sewer, musty or burnt: what each smell means, the 20-inch hose loop, and when to call a plumber.

Garburator smells too? See garburator and kitchen care.

White film on dishes, or dishes not getting clean

Rub a cloudy glass with vinegar (Whirlpool's test). If the film lifts, it's hard-water minerals; if it stays, it's etching, and that's permanent. Dirty dishes usually mean the load, a blocked spray arm or a clogged filter.

White film on dishes and cloudy glassesThe vinegar test, 6 fixes in order, and water hardness from Montréal to Calgary. How to load a dishwasher for better cleaningRack by rack, knives up or down by maker, and what never goes in.

Best dishwasher cleaner: cost per clean in Canada

At regular prices on October 20, 2026, BLITZ was $1.00 a clean, against $3.75 for Lemi Shine, $4.75 for a Finish bottle and $5.29 for Glisten. The Finish and Glisten bottles need the hottest cycle. ACTIVE was close, at $1.04 to $1.21; prices move.

For most homes, we pick BLITZ: one tablet in the empty dishwasher every two weeks, no special cycle, a year in one box. Septic-safe, sold in Canadian dollars by a Québec company in Laval, with service in French and English.

Best dishwasher cleaner in Canada (2026)7 options: ingredients, cost per year, and our pick. Dishwasher cleaner tablets vs liquidsSteps and cycle rules side by side. Finish Dishwasher Cleaner alternativeThe bottle's 60°C cycle; In-Wash at about $207 a year, weekly. Glisten Dishwasher Magic alternativeThe wax plug, pH 1.2 to 1.5 per its safety data sheet, and the cost per clean against BLITZ. Lemi Shine dishwasher cleaner alternativeThe same two cleaning ingredients: 4 pouches vs 24 tablets. BLITZ vs ACTIVE washer and dishwasher tabletsNear-twin tablets; ACTIVE's store charges in US dollars and has no French site.

Frequently asked questions

How often should you clean your dishwasher?

Every 1 to 3 months, depending on the maker: KitchenAid says about every 30 days, Bosch every 1 to 2 months, Frigidaire every 3. BLITZ is made for every two weeks, so 24 tablets last a year. See each brand's filter and cleaning schedule.

How do I clean my dishwasher filter?

Twist it counterclockwise, lift it out, wash it in warm, soapy water with a soft brush and lock it back in. Whirlpool says monthly, or every two weeks for a large family. Photos of each step: how to clean a dishwasher filter, step by step.

Can I clean my dishwasher with vinegar?

Now and then: GE, Samsung and Frigidaire list it, but Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag and LG warn that using it too often can damage the dishwasher. Never mix it with bleach. Our dishwasher cleaner tablets vs liquids guide compares the options.

What is the best dishwasher cleaner in Canada?

For most homes, we pick BLITZ: one tablet every two weeks in the empty dishwasher on a normal cycle, about $1.00 a clean and a year for $23.95. It's septic-safe and comes from a Québec company in Laval. The full comparison covers 7 options with Canadian prices.

Why does my dishwasher still smell after cleaning?

A cleaning cycle doesn't empty a clogged filter or stop sink water flowing back. Clean the filter by hand, then check for standing water and the drain hose loop and air gap.

Why are my dishes still dirty after the dishwasher?

Usually a blocked spray arm, a detergent door that couldn't open, lukewarm water or a clogged filter. Fix the load, then clean the filter and the machine. See dishes still dirty: what to check.

Do you need to rinse dishes before the dishwasher?

Usually not: Bosch, Whirlpool, GE and Frigidaire say to scrape food off and skip the rinse. LG is the exception and says to rinse. Whatever you don't scrape off ends up in the filter (should you pre-rinse dishes).

Sources: Bosch, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, GE, Samsung, LG and Frigidaire support pages and manuals; Health Canada; prices on goblitzclean.com, Amazon.ca, Canadian Tire and Walmart.ca, checked October 19 and 20, 2026. Prices change.

Finish, Glisten, Lemi Shine, ACTIVE, affresh, Bosch, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, GE, Samsung, LG and Frigidaire are trademarks of their owners. BLITZ is not affiliated with any of them.