How To Clean Hotpoint Dishwasher

With more machines, we get more convenience, an easier life, and more efficiency. But, we also get more responsibilities with the addition of a new machine in the home, particularly, maintenance and cleaning. Any machine you get, you have to clean them, and our beloved Hotpoint dishwasher is no exception. 

So how do you go about maintaining and cleaning a dishwasher? After all, shouldn’t it wash itself? Well, yes and no.

While it gets a simple cleaning and water splashes while it cleans the dishes and runs its cycles, it also gets pretty darn dirty and requires frequent maintenance.

To know all the details on how to clean Hotpoint dishwasher, check out the instructions below. And always remember, prevention is better than cure! Instead of having to go in with a deep clean after the dishwasher is completely soiled, it is better to clean it regularly so it never gets unhygienic in the first place.

Why Do You Need To Clean Hotpoint Dishwasher

A dishwasher is one where you put in all your dirty pots, pans, cutlery, and dishes. Sometimes these have little to clean, sometimes they go in with a ton of grease that’s almost an inch thick, leftover bits and scraps of food you forget to rinse off, and all sorts of stuff that can accumulate inside the dishwasher.

All of this collectively results in bad odor and the growth of bacteria over time. Not to mention, it can clog up the filter which will result in water spillage, and unclean plates at the end of the day.

Step-By-Step Instructions For Cleaning Hotpoint Dishwasher

Cleaning is a step-by-step procedure for first-timers. So if you want to know the steps to proceed with the cleaning, follow these:

• Get your gloves, because you don’t know how dirty it is going to get.
• Remove the bottom rack, as this will allow you to clean the insides better.
• Get rid of any scraps of food or waste that is accumulated at the bottom, and clear it out.
• Inspect the dishwasher inside out and see if there are any visible problem areas. This lets you understand what needs cleaning most urgently.
• Check the spinning arms for clogs. If there are scraps of food or other materials stuck in the holes, use a pair of tweezers to gently pull them out. If these arms are clogged, the water will not reach the dishes properly.
• Clean the door of the dishwasher properly making sure you get both sides of it.
• Clean the inside of the dishwasher.

Detailed Discussion On Cleaning Different Parts Of Hotpoint Dishwasher

Now that you know the different steps, and how to go about them, let us look deeper into the areas which need a lot of attention while cleaning.

The Door

So you need to clean the door very carefully as it collects a lot of grime, slime, and other particles from the inside.

For a very detailed cleaning, you should get a toothbrush and dip it in white vinegar. The white vinegar is amazing for getting rid of micro debris and grease which gets stuck in the small crevices around the seal of the door.

Cleaning this area thoroughly using the toothbrush allows you to get rid of every particle in there so that it is squeaky clean.

To clean the inside of the door, you should get a sponge, and a mixture of dishwashing soap plus water, and wash the entire door down, inside and out. This will also help to wash off the grime stuck from the door’s seal.

The Inside

To clean the inside of the dishwasher, use the same dishwashing liquid and hot water combination with a sponge. This will help to loosen the grime and slime stuck on the interior surfaces and you can wipe them down using the sponge.

There will always be some grease that just does not go this way. For this, you can get a dishwasher-safe bowl, fill it up with white vinegar, and place it on the top rack, with its right side facing up. Then set the dishwasher at the highest temperature setting it comes with, and run one complete cycle.

Since vinegar is a form of acid, it will nicely melt away all the grease and grime that is stuck on the corners of the dishwasher, which you either overlook or cannot reach with a sponge.

Once you are done with the vinegar, you need another wash to get rid of the vinegar, and the mold and mildew which might have accumulated. For this, simply replace the vinegar in the cup with 1 tablespoon of chlorine bleach, followed by one cycle. And voila, you are done.

The Filter

Cleaning the filter is a bit more tedious than the rest of the steps, but with careful work, you can get this done!

If you want to know how to clean Hotpoint dishwasher filter, here it is.

Firstly, turn off the power to the dishwasher for safety measures, remove the lower rack, and reposition the spray arms. These will allow you easy access to the filter, which is located in a box with holes.

Remove the filter housing using a nut driver and then remove the filter. Wash it by placing it under running water, and then proceed to clean the sump hole.

Pick out any material that is stuck there so that there are no jams in this area later on. Put the filter back into the sump hole, and replace the housing again. And you are done! Just don’t forget to turn the power back on.

Tips On Cleaning Hotpoint Dishwasher

Some tips are always nice to know, as these little things can save us a ton of trouble in the long run. Good tips for cleaning dishwashers are:

• Don’t use a metal brush to clean the sprayer arms, as it can damage them.
• If you haven’t used the dishwasher in a really long time, then turn off access to electricity and water for a while, while leaving the door open. Then run a full wash cycle while it is empty before you can start using it again.
• Whenever you are cleaning the dishwasher or doing routine maintenance, turn off access to electricity and water for safety measures.
• If your water hoses have not been used for extended periods of time, or are completely new, then run the water first to ensure it is clear, before you can use it.
• After wash cycles, leave the door of the Hotpoint dishwasher a bit open so that moisture does not accumulate inside, which can result in mold, hence more cleaning for you.
• Never use abrasive products to clean the dishwasher surface, inside or outside, and always use soft cloths or sponges only. Anything too abrasive can damage the surface.
• To prevent and avoid leaks, turn the water supply off once you are done with the wash cycle.

Conclusion

If you look at it, cleaning dishwashers are actually not that hard. In fact, with routine cleaning, you will hardly ever get to the thick grime layers forming. If you forget, set a reminder on your phone for monthly cleanups to maintain the hygiene and cleanliness of the dishwasher.

That is all for how to clean Hotpoint Dishwasher. Do make sure to check the tips to save trouble along the way, and always refer to your user manual if you are confused about how individual parts of the machine work.